Rajma Masala is thick, mildly spicy and aromatic vegetarian side dish recipe. This popular North Indian recipe consisting of kidney beans and few spices and masalas is vegan protein rich recipe. Rajma Masala is often served with rice or roti.
About This Recipe
The combination of rajma masala and basmati rice is PERFECT example of comforting and soul-hugging meal. Rajma Chawal is an emotion, gives the feeling of home, mom-made food (maa ke haath ka khana).
The ingredients of rajma masala recipe are SIMPLE and pantry friendly. The only time consuming part in making this recipe is soaking of rajma. Soaking rajma for 8-10 hours or overnight is mandatory.
Rajma Chawal is regular part of diet in North India. Rajma is the Indian name for Kidney Beans. Kidney beans are RICH source of vitamin B1 and also helps in lowering the cholesterol.
Rajma Masala
Rajma masala recipe is easy to make. You can pack this in school or office lunch box along with chapatis or rice. I love to relish rajma masala with jeera rice.
In dhaba or in street side food stalls, rajma masala is poured over bed of steamed white rice. This is served along with laccha pyaaz or papad or kachumber and lemon wedges. I have listed few more serving suggestions in the notes section of recipe card below the post.
Rajma masala with chawal or roti makes a nutritious, filling and plant protein rich meal. If beans are soaking for 8 hours, then it only takes 25-30 minutes in making this delicious rajma recipe.
You can make this recipe in two ways. One is by adding all the spices and masala and sautéing them in oil. And then adding soaked rajma and pressure cooking until soft.
In another method, you can pressure cook rajma until soft. And then add it to the tempering of spices and masalas. Either the way, this rajma recipe tastes yum!
Main Ingredients For Rajma Masala
Rajma | Kidney Beans – are versatile and provide substantial nutritional and health benefits. Red kidney beans are common and mostly used in making rajma masala. There are two popular rajma recipes. One if Punjabi Rajma recipe and other is Kashmiri Rajma recipe.
The one I am going to share with you today is Punjabi Rajma Masala Recipe. Punjabi rajma is made using red kidney beans whereas, Kashmiri rajma recipe is made using rajma which are specially grown in the Kashmir region.
Kashmiri rajma are small and glossy compared to red rajma. Apart from this, there is a difference in spice and masalas used in making these two rajma recipes.
Onion–Tomato – you can either make paste of this and fry or you can fry and make paste of these two and use it. The onion-tomato masala forms the base for this of this recipe.
List Of Spice Powders
Red Chili Powder – brings in heat and spice in the recipe
Roasted Coriander Powder – adds flavour and aroma
Roasted Cumin Powder – adds aroma and intense flavour
Ginger-Garlic Paste acts as a taste enhancer
Garam Masala, adds flavour, aroma and heat
Dry Mango Powder (amchur powder), adds unique tangy taste
Make It Vegan
Little milk or cream is added to rajma masala at the end of cooking to bring creamy texture and to balance the spices. To make vegan rajma masala, skip adding milk or cream.
To bring creamy texture in the rajma recipe, add cashew or almond paste. Soak cashews or almonds in lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes. If using almonds, peel the skin and grind to smooth paste.
Add this paste to the rajma at the end of the recipe. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame.
More Bean Recipes To Try,
Punjabi Lobia Masala – is a delicious, easy to make and plant-protein rich North Indian style Black-Eyed Bean Curry recipe.
Crispy Alasanda Vada – is delicious, vegan, gluten-free and plant-protein rich fritter made with black-eyed peas.
Mixed Veg Pulao – super delicious medley of 5 different beans and rice.
White Peas Sundal – is plant protein rich, fat free, vegan and gluten free recipe.
Leftover Boiled Rajma
If you have boiled more rajma and wondering what to do with it? The, make this Bhangra Burger. The patty of this burger is made with boiled rajma and kali dal.
You can even make sundal. Follow my recipe of fresh rajma sundal to make dry rajma sundal.
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Rajma Masala Recipe
Rajma masala is extremely flavourful and delicious plant-protein rich side-dish recipe. Made with pantry staples, this rajma recipe perfectly pairs with rice and roti.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rajma, washed thoroughly and soaked in water for 8-10 hours or overnight
- 2 Onions, sliced finely
- 1 Tomato, finely chopped
- 2 Green chilies, chopped
- ¾ tbsp. Red Chili powder
- ¼ tbsp. Turmeric powder
- ½ tbsp. roasted Coriander powder
- ½ tbsp. roasted Cumin powder
- ¾ tbsp. Ginger-Garlic paste
- ½ tbsp. Garam Masala
- ½ tbsp. dry Mango powder (Amchur Powder)
- 3 tbsp. low-fat Milk, or Cream
- 2 tbsp. minced Coriander leaves
- 3 tbsp. Oil
- Salt, as per taste
Instructions
How To Make Rajma Masala
- Rinse overnight soaked rajma once more and throw the water. Add rajma to pressure cooker along with 6-8 cups of water.
- Pressure cook for 8-10 whistles or until rajma turns soft (not mushy). Wait till pressure settles.
- Drain and collect water. in a bowl Set both aside.
- In a pan, add oil and fry sliced onions. When the onions start to turn translucent add chopped tomatoes and green chilies.
- Fry until tomatoes turn mushy. Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry till raw smell wafts.
- Reduce the flame and stir in red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stir well.
- To this add pressure cooked rajma and half of water in which rajma was pressure cooked. Stir well.
- Simmer for 8-10 minutes by covering with a lid. When the gravy is nearing to your desired consistency, stir in garam masala and dry mango powder.
- Stir in milk or cream and turn of the flame. Sprinkle minced coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.
- I served this Rajma Masala with Jeera Rice. You can even serve this Rajma Masala with plain Basmati Rice too.
- Add love to make this Rajma Masala taste ‘Yummy’.
Notes
Lubna's Serving Suggestions:
Normally rajma masala is served with chawal. Unline South India, in North India basmati rice is used more in day to day cooking. So, rajma masala is poured over hot boiled or steamed basmati rice and served aong with laccha pyaar or lemon wedges.
Apart from this rajma masala tastes best in combination with,
jeera ice
ghee rice
bagare chawal
jeera-tomato pulao
veg pulao
roti
paratha
poori
naan
rumali
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 397mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 6g
This rajma masala post is going to be part of “Monthly Muslim Food Blogger Challenge“, where the theme of the month is “Choose The Missed Challenge“. Allhumdulliah, this month marks the one year anniversary of our monthly muslim food blogger challenge. I think, I missed 2-3 themes in this challenge, so I picked up “Cooking From Scrapbook“.
Cooking From Scrapbook
Growing up, I always loved to pen down new, tasty and unique recipes in my diary. Growing in south India, I never knew about rajma or any recipe related with it.
When I was in college, I got introduced to this rajma masala through a North Indian friend. I could not stop myself gulping spoons of rajma chawal. It was instant LOVE. I got the recipe from her mom, but I never tried it till I married and moved to Bangalore.
After coming to Bangalore, I saw rajma in almost every vegetarian food selling restaurants. When I picked up the theme “cooking from scrapbook”, I thought nothing would be more appropriate than making this delicious rajma masala and unwinding the college memories. Thank you Rafeeda of “The Big Sweet Tooth” for coming up with this theme based event and running it successfully for a year. Happy one year anniversary to all the folks who participated in this Monthly Muslim Food Blogger Challenge.
Ruxana says
Lovely combination of having rajma masala with jeera rice…Healthy and yummy!
zahra says
I see recipes like this and I so wish I was a better and more confident cook! I wish I could make food like this – it looks delicious!
Shazia says
I wish if i were there to enjoy the rain with this delicious Rajma Masala!Clicks are
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
Looking at the picture, it gives a very rainy day feel…I feel like having that warm plate, some payasam after that, and then a couple of hours of deep sleep in the afternoon! 🙂
navane64 says
Heaven pairing and heavenly tempting. Hunger is definitely calling me right now.
Muslim Mummy says
You always have some amazing recipes…this is another one I have not come across before. It looks delicious
ThrifDeeDubai says
Yum! This looks so hearty, warming & filling! A MUST try!
Can I cheat and use tinned red kidney beans?
Nida says
wow this recipe looks delicious and packed with fiber and yumminess.
Bint-i Noor Fatima says
You would not believe… I love rajma with white rice. Your rajma dish is loooking very yummy and tasty.
Zainab Dokrat says
Such a yummy recipe! Lol your pictures always have me drooling! (www.beautywithzainy.com and http://www.spicyfusionkitchen.com)
Umme Hafsa says
This is the perfect autumn dish – looks so comforting and yummy!
Umm Ruqaiya says
I have never had rajma, will surely give it a try. Thanks for the recipe. And yes, some times certain memories can make some foods/recipes either special to us or totally opposite 😀
Annie says
I made half this recipe. I use beans a lot and my method is to put 2 parts beans to 1 part water, bring them up to boil and leave them covered for an hour before cooking them in the pressure cooker. This has always worked for me.
After adding the beans, I put in a bit more water to make a nice sauce, but not too thin. I didn’t bother with the milk and I don’t like fresh coriander, so left that out.
I found the instructions accurate and straightforward. Zahra – this recipe is easy to make and delicious!