Punjabi Rajma Masala
Soft red kidney beans simmered in a thick onion-tomato masala until creamy and comforting. The classic Sunday lunch pairing with steamed rice.
Rajma masala is the heart of the North Indian home kitchen, a thick, earthy kidney bean curry that is almost always eaten with rice as rajma chawal. The beans are soaked overnight and pressure cooked until they crush easily between two fingers, then simmered in an onion-tomato masala scented with ginger, garlic and garam masala. The key to the creamy gravy is mashing a few beans into it and letting everything simmer long enough to marry. Cooked this way, the dish is hearty, mildly spicy and wonderfully forgiving, and it tastes better the next day.
Method
- Drain the soaked rajma and pressure cook with 3 cups water and 1 tsp salt for 6 to 7 whistles on medium heat, until the beans mash easily. Keep the cooking liquid.
- Heat oil in a pan; add cumin seeds and bay leaf and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
- Add the onions and cook on medium heat until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies; cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato puree, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric. Cook until the oil separates from the masala, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the cooked rajma with 1 1/2 cups of its liquid and salt. Mash a few beans against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy is thick and creamy.
- Stir in garam masala, amchur and kasuri methi; simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander.
Chef's tips
- Soak rajma for at least 8 hours; under-soaked beans stay hard even after whistles.
- If a few beans are still firm after the whistles, pressure cook them for 2 to 3 more whistles before making the masala; the gravy will not soften them further.
- Simmering for the full 15 to 20 minutes is what gives the thick, creamy gravy.
- Add hot water, not cold, if the curry becomes too thick.
What to serve it with
Serve with steamed basmati rice, sliced onions, a lemon wedge and a bowl of plain curd or boondi raita.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in a closed container. Reheat with a splash of water; it thickens as it cools.
Variations
- Add a spoon of cream or butter at the end for a richer dhaba-style finish.
- Use a mix of rajma and chana for a mixed bean curry.
- Make it onion-garlic free by tempering with hing and using ginger and extra tomato.
Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.
Recipe questions
Can I cook rajma without soaking?
It is not recommended. Unsoaked beans take much longer and cook unevenly. If short on time, boil them for 2 minutes, cover and rest for an hour, then pressure cook for a few extra whistles.
How do I make rajma gravy thick?
Mash a few cooked beans into the gravy and simmer uncovered for the last 5 minutes. The starch from the beans thickens it naturally without any flour or paste.
How many whistles does rajma need?
About 6 to 7 whistles on medium heat for overnight-soaked beans. Older beans may need 8. They should be soft enough to crush between two fingers.
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