Punjabi Rajma Masala Recipe – Rajma Chawal/Spiced Red Kidney Beans Curry

The Punjabi Rajma Masala also known as the North Indian Red Kidney Beans Curry is a very famous recipe from the North India. Rajma Masala popularly known as Rajma Chawal is considered as a comfort food in a Punjabi home. This makes a one dish meal, when the Rajma Masala is served along with steamed hot rice where the wonderful flavours of the rajma comes out when chewed along with rice. Course : Main Course Ingridients : 2 cups Rajma (Large Kidney Beans) , soaked for 8 hours   1 teaspoon Oil 1 Onion , roughly chopped 1 inch Ginger , finely chopped 1 Tomato , finely chopped or pureed 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 2 teaspoons Cumin powder (Jeera) 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder 1 Bay leaf (tej patta) 1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini) , broken 8 sprig Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , chopped Salt , to taste Instructions To begin making the Rajma Masala Recipe, we will first soak the rajma immersed completely in water for about 8 to 10 hours.Heat a teaspoon of oil on medium heat in the pressure cooker pan; add the onion, and ginger and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions soften turn light golden colour.Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste.Saute for another couple of minutes until the tomatoes become soft and mushy. Once soft, add the soaked rajma along with its water. Add any additional water if required. There should enough water such that the water level is at least 2 inches above the rajma.Cover the pressure cooker, place the weight on and cook on medium heat for about 40 minutes.Once done, turn off the heat and allow the pressure cooker to rest and release its pressure naturally. The rajma will continue to cook in the pressure cooker as long as there is pressure inside.Once the pressure has released, open the cooker. The rajma should be now cooked completely. If you press the rajma between your fingers it will get mashed easily.If you find the rajma is still firm, you need to cook it for a little longer. This happens when your rajma bean has aged and hence takes a longer time to cook.Once the Rajma Masala is cooked, check the salt and spice levels and adjust to suit your taste. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.Serve Rajma Masala Recipe for Sunday Lunches, when served along with Steamed Rice and Aloo Parwal Sabzi making the meal wholesome and nutritious.