rajma recipe

Rajma Masala Recipe | Rajma Chawal Recipe

Rajma Masala Recipe Talk of ghar ka khanna and rajma chawal doesn’t get a mention? Impossible!

The go-to dish for every Punjabi household, if you still haven’t given it a shot, this is your chance. Follow these simple steps to make yummy Rajma Masala!


ABOUT RAJMA MASALA


One of the most well-known delicacies of North India, Rajma Masala is a Punjabi curry recipe. It is primarily made with kidney beans and gets its mouth-watering flavor from Indian spices. The combination of rajma and chawal (rice) which in everyday language is also known as rajma chawal is the staple food for many North Indians. It forms a semi-thick gravy that can be served with jeera rice as Rajma Chawal or even with a variety of Indian bread like roti or chapati as Rajma Masala.


INGREDIENTS


  1. Rajma (chitra) – 1¼ cup
  2. Oil – ⅓ cup
  3. Bayleaf – 1no
  4. Black cardamom – 1no
  5. Cumin – 2tsp
  6. Onion grated/puree – 1cup
  7. Green chillies chopped – 1no
  8. Ginger paste – 1tbsp
  9. Garlic paste – 1tbsp
  10. Kashmiri chilli powder – 1tbsp
  11. Turmeric – ½ tsp
  12. Coriander powder – 1tbsp
  13. Tomato grated/puree – 2cups
  14. Salt
  15. Kasoori methi powder – ½ tsp
  16. Garam masala – ¼ tsp
  17. Water – 5cups approx

 

 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Wash and soak rajma overnight or at least 4 hours. 
  2. Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaf, black cardamom and cumin. Add onions and cook them till light brown. 
  3. Add green chili, ginger and garlic paste. Saute for 3mins. 
  4. Then add turmeric, chili powder and coriander powder.
  5. Stir for a few seconds. 
  6. Add tomatoes and some salt. Cook the masala till it leaves the oil. 
  7. Now add the drained rajma along with some more salt. 
  8. Cook the rajma for 10-12 minutes this way and then add water.
  9. Bring to a boil and cover and cook in a cooker. Cook till it gives out at least 3 whistles. 
  10. Turn off the heat and let it sit in there for another 10-15mins.
  11. Open the cover and add some water to correct the consistency to get the right thickness of the “Tari”.
  12. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins and meanwhile add kasoori methi powder and garam masala. 
  13. Check for seasoning and remove and serve.

 

SERVING STYLE 

Now take a portion of this stemming hot Rajma Masala in a plate or bowl. You can choose to eat it from a variety of Indian bread like roti, paratha, naan or bread. Pickles, thinly sliced onions and a freshly cut piece of lemon are a treat to go with this delicious recipe.

 

INGREDIENTS FOR RICE

 

  1. 1 cup basmati rice (heaped) or 200 grams of basmati rice
  2. 2 cups water or about 500 ml water or add as required depending on the quality of rice
  3. ½ teaspoon oil (optional)
  4. ¼ teaspoon salt or add as per taste

 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR RAJMA MASALA

 

  1. Take the rice grains in a bowl and begin to rinse the rice grains in running water. Rinse the rice grains till the water looks clear of any starch. Note that basmati rice triples in volume once cooked. So 1 cup raw basmati rice will yield approx. 3 to 3.5 cups of cooked rice.
  2. Soak the rice grains in ¾ to 1 cup water for 20 to 30 minutes. After keeping the kidney beans to cook in the pressure cooker, you can begin with the rinsing and soaking of rice.
  3. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain all the water from the rice and keep it aside.
  4. For 1 cup of rice, pour 2 cups of water in a heavy thick deep bottomed pan. Use the proportion of 1:2 of rice and water depending on the quantity of rice you are using.
  5. Also, use a wide deep pan so that the water does spill out while cooking. The amount of water to be added depends on the quality and quantity of rice. Some varieties of basmati rice gets cooked quickly in less water. In this case, you can add 1.75 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.
  6. Add ¼ teaspoon salt or as per your taste. You can also add ½ teaspoon of oil or butter or ghee. Adding any fat like oil or butter is optional.
  7. Let the water come to a boil on a medium to medium-high heat.
  8. Add the rice.
  9. Gently stir. You can even gently shake the pan, so that the rice grains settle down in the pan.
  10. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Do check once or twice when the rice is cooking. In case the rice grains look undercooked and the water has dried up, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot water. Stir gently.
  11. Then lower the heat and cook the rice till all the water has been absorbed and the rice grains have cooked well. Usually, rice takes about 7 to 8 minutes for the rice grains to be tender, soft and fluffy.
  12. The cooking time will vary with the type or variety of rice grains, quality of the pan and the intensity of the flame.
  13. After the rice is cooked, give a resting time of 5 minutes before you open the lid. Then open the lid and gently fluff the rice.

 

SERVING STYLE

To serve rajma chawal, first spoon hot steamed rice onto a serving plate. Make a neat bed of the rice. Pour the rajma gravy on top of the rice.

Enjoy rajma chawal and don’t forget to include a side of some thinly sliced onions, lemon wedges or spice up with a simple kachumber salad or a mango pickle.

Time to try this easy recipe and savour this mouth-watering food at home finally we request you to check our other recipes 

 

 

 

 

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