Rajma (also known as kidney beans) are very good source of plant-based protein and fibre. Even though Rajma’s origin was in Mexico and not India, the Rajma Recipe still is a very popular North Indian or Punjabi cuisine like Chole Recipe, Dal Makhani etc. Other than India, rajma is also used in several other countries – Nepal, Spain, Netherlands and Indonesia for cooking many similar recipes.
Cooking Rajma recipe or Rajma Masala Recipe is not very tedious. The only step which consumes most time is to soak Rajma. Soak rajma overnight and then pressure cook to make them soft, and then we add some spices, onion, tomato etc. and make medium thick gravy which is know as Punjabi Rajma Masala. I haven’t used kasoori methi or coriander for this recipe but you can add coriander, kasoori methi if you like to.
Though Rajma also tastes awesome but to be honest it’s not my most favourite compared to Pindi Chole and Dal Makhani recipes. But I cook this delicious Rajma recipe sometimes because some of my family members like this restaurant styled Rajma Recipe. If I have to choose one from all then I will always go with Dal Makhani first 😋 because that’s my “the favourite recipe” 😉 from North Indian gravy recipes collections.
You can check my other recipe blog for restaurant style Dal Makhani Recipe.
However, if Rajma Recipe is your favourite recipe then this restaurant styled Rajma Masala Recipe is for you. Prepare this Punjabi Rajma at home to enjoy your favourite food and get some compliments from your family members. Happy cooking is the mantra to be happy and make your loved ones happy with the tasty food. And yes this Rajma recipe is an addition to my other vegan recipes collection. So my Vegan friends also can enjoy this super healthy Rajma recipe at home.
Here is one of my Simple and Quick Chatpata Salad Recipe to accompany with Rajma recipe for a full meal combination.
You can server Rajma with plain rice, jeera rice, vegetable biryani or veg pulav or any other rice varieties too. I recommend you to visit, an outstanding vegetable rich pulao recipe blog as well Vegan Veg Pulav recipe.
I hope you will love this wonderful Rajma recipe and other recipe suggestions like Dal Makhani and Simple and Tasty Veg Pulao recipe. To check many more such tasty food recipes, you may also visit FoodQuench’s YouTube Channel.
Rajma Masala Recipe | How to easily cook Punjabi Rajma Masala at home
Description
Ingredients
Ingredients For Rajma Gravy / Rajma Curry
Ingredients For Tempering (Tadka)
Cooking method for Rajma Masala Recipe
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Soak rajma overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours in enough water as shown in ingredients image. Rinse rajma well and transfer to pressure cooker.
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Add about 350 ml water and ¼ tablespoon salt along with rajma in pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 4 whistles and rajma will be nicely cooked. Allow pressure to be released from cooker.
Adding salt to rajma while pressure cooking helps rajma to become soft. -
While pressure cooker is cooling down, rinse tomato, onion, ginger, garlic and cut them into big chunks as shown in ingredients image.
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Now heat kadhai and add just ½ tablespoon of oil to it. Once oil is hot, add onion, ginger, garlic chunks and sauté until it turns golden in colour. After onions are cooked, add tomato, close lid and cook until tomatoes become soft. Then allow onion and tomatoes to cool down or at least they turn warm.
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Transfer onion and tomatoes to grinder jar and add just a little water. Grind to make smooth puree.
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Now heat kadhai again and add remaining 3 ½ tablespoon of oil. Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds to it and allow it to splutter.
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Then add bay leaves, clove and sauté for a minute.
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Later add all remaining spices - turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder.
I have used non stick kadhai for this recipe because I was feeling lazy and used same non-stick pan which I used for making other recipe. But, I don't recommend you to use non-stick vessels for cooking liquid food / gravy style dal or vegetables. -
Mix all spices and sauté for a minute to make them aromatic.
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Then add onion and tomato puree to it and mix well.
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Cook on a medium flame until water content evaporates and thick masala mixture is formed.
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Now transfer cooked rajma with remaining water to kadhai, add salt to it and some more water (around 200 to 250ml) to adjust consistency.
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Mix well and close lid, simmer on a medium flame until gravy turns medium thick.
Slow cooking enhances the taste of recipes, so if you have enough time, you can cook on a low flame as well and simultaneously you can prepare roti, rice etc. -
Now Rajma is cooked well and ready.
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Let's prepare tadka or tempering. Heat small tadka pan and add 2 tablespoon of oil. Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Then add Kashmiri red chilli and heat until chilli become crisp. Prepare and pour tadka at the time of serving.
If we are feeling lazy then tadka can be optional, but I know if you have followed till this step then you are a true food lover and you won't be lazy to spend couple of minutes extra efforts to prepare tadka. For most of the Indian recipes, tadka is always like cherry on top of the cake - so I suggest do not skip. -
The Rajma Chawal combination is famous everywhere but I have served this Rajma Recipe or Punjabi Rajma Masala Recipe with tandoori roti, cucumber and beetroot slices.
We can't skip lemon to be served with such recipes because lemon adds flavour to recipes and helps in digestion too.
