Rajma Masala or Rajma Curry with step by step photos. Rajma Masala is a popular side dish that is served across North India, most importantly in Punjabi dhabas with flat breads like rotis, phulkas and to make rajma chawal.
There are so many ways to make this side dish as each household have their own nuances to add to this dish. Some make it with oodles of butter and the rajama masala will be swimming in cream adding more richness.
Some make it using ready made powder that is sold in supermarkets nowadays and some use freshly ground paste to make it more aromatic. To make this side dish a party worthy food loaded with richness, use butter to cook instead of oil. Also add 1/4 cup of cream and a dollop of butter to top the dish finally.
This Rajma Masala recipe that I’m sharing here is made with freshly ground paste and is totally vegan as I have used only oil for cooking. Next to Channa Masala and Mixed Veg Kurma, this rajma masala is one of the most cooked side dish for rotis at home as my boys love it.
I have used the Himalayan white kidney beans instead of the regular dark rajma. Though there is no difference in taste wise, the color of the finished rajma masala will differ. I also find that the white kidney beans gets cooked much faster than the regular ones and soak up the masalas very well too.
Rajma Masala Recipe with stepwise photos:
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1. Soak rajma (kidney beans) over night in plenty of water. The next day discard the water and transfer rajma to a pressure cooker. Add 2 pinch salt, fresh water so that it stands 1 inch above rajma. Pressure cook for 8-10 whistles over medium low flame. Drain and retain the excess cooked water. Mash rajma lightly and keep aside.
2. Add all the ingredients mentioned under the “to be ground to a smooth paste” to a mixer jar. Add little water, grind to a smooth paste and keep aside.
3. Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds, when it sizzles, add onion and cook till it becomes translucent.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, 2 pinch salt and cook till the tomatoes break and become mushy.
5. Add the ground paste and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of the retained rajma cooked water to the mixer jar, rinse and add it to the pan. Add salt, mix well and close with a lid.
6. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes over low flame till the raw smell of the paste disappears and everything comes together.
7. Add cooked rajma, enough rajma cooked water to the consistency you prefer and mix well. Once again close with a lid and let it cook further for 5-7 minutes over low flame. Mix in between to avoid the gravy from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
8. Finally sprinkle garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Mix well, switch off stove and close the pan with the lid and let the rajma sit for 3-5 mins for all the flavors to imbibe. Serve hot with flaky parathas, rotis, jeera rice or to make rajma chawal.
I personally feel that this rajma masala tastes much better the next day as the freshly ground spices and the tanginess of the tomatoes gets absorbed well by the rajma. In case if you feel the that the masala is too hot afterwards just squeeze 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and it will balance the flavors.
Rajma Masala Recipe details below:
Rajma Masala - Rajma Curry
Ingredients
- Rajma or Kidney beans - 1 cup
- Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
- Tomato - 1 cup chopped
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
- Coriander leaves – for garnish
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 2 tbsp
To be ground to a smooth paste:
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Garlic – 4
- Green Chillies – 2
- Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
- Coriander powder – 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
- Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
- Cloves – 3
- Cardamom – 2
- Black peppercorn – 1/2 tsp
- Cashew nuts – 10
- Poppy seeds or khus-khus – 1 tsp
Instructions
Preparation:
- Soak rajma (kidney beans) over night or for 10 hours in plenty of water. The next day discard the water and transfer rajma to a pressure cooker. Add 2 pinch salt, fresh water so that it stands 1 inch above rajma.
- Pressure cook for 8-10 whistles over medium low flame. Drain and retain the excess cooked water. Mash rajma lightly and keep aside.
Make the paste:
- Add all the ingredients mentioned under the “to be ground to a smooth paste” to a mixer jar. Add little water, grind to a smooth paste and keep aside.
Make rajma masala:
- Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds, when it sizzles, add onion and cook till it becomes translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes, 2 pinch salt and cook till the tomatoes break and become mushy.
- Add the ground paste and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of the retained rajma cooked water to the mixer jar, rinse and add it to the pan. Add salt, mix well and close with a lid.
- Let it cook for 3-4 minutes over low flame till the raw smell of the paste disappears and everything comes together.
- Add cooked rajma, enough rajma cooked water to the consistency you prefer and mix well.
- Close with a lid and let it cook further for 5-7 minutes over low flame. Mix in between to avoid the gravy from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Finally sprinkle garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Mix well, switch off stove and close the pan with the lid and let the rajma sit for 3-5 mins for all the flavors to imbibe.
- Serve this rajma masala with flaky parathas, rotis, jeera rice or to make rajma chawal.
looks yumm….
perfect side with chapathi..looks tempting..
Lovely and tasty Rajma Radhika, would love to try the ground method, interesting.
hey nice rajma curry, pics looks great
My Favorite 🙂
Looks yummy very nice clicks…….
I just made it sunday for lunch …in little diff way …yours looks yum
Comfort dish,spicy and healthy rajma masala.
Fabulous rajma. Lipsmacking good. Bookmarked it.
I’m already liking it by looking at the yummy snaps!
so so yummy rajma masala… drooling here… same way i used to do for butter beans n green peas…
Adding Cashew will give creamy texture and nice flavour to the curry
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Looks so yummy, very flavorful from that freshly ground masala..
delicious dear
Rajma masala looks delicious…
lovely preparation…sounds very delicious n healthy!!
Super tempting and flavorful rajma masala
Wow slurrp…I can finish even that bowl full…yummy!!
very rich gravy of rajma..looks yumm
Very yummy…looks perfect. Would like to have it now…
Rajma looks yummmmm…..
Looks scrumptious!
Lip smashing gravy..looks great.
Rajma chawal is a patent in my house, loved your version
Mouthwatering pics!! Very much inviting!
This curry looks absolutely amazing! I’m not a fan of beans, but I’d love to give this a try using chickpeas. Lovely recipe, looking forwarding to trying it.