Punjabi Rajma Masala is kidney beans slowly cooked with sauteed masala resulting in a thick and creamy gravy. This dish is perfect with white basmati rice.
What is Rajma Masala?
Rajma Masala is kidney beans that are cooked in a tomato-onion masala gravy. This is Punjabi comfort food that goes perfectly with white basmati rice and on those cold or rainy days.
Rajma Masala is healthy, vegan, gluten-free, high in protein and fiber, not to mention delicious and nutritious too.
What kind of Dried Kidney Beans should I use?
For the longest time, I made the mistake of using dried dark kidney beans which is slightly hard. The key to making creamy and soft rajma is to use "light" kidney beans which you can easily find at the Indian grocery store or Amazon.
Can I use Canned Kidney Beans?
Sure, you can. The result will not be the same. Using fresh dried kidney beans will always give you a better texture than canned beans.
Tips on making the Best Rajma Masala
- Finely chop the onions, green chilies, garlic, and ginger.
- Cook the masala nice and slow.
- Tomatoes are the key to making good Rajma Masala - you will need a good amount of tomatoes.
- Mash the kidney beans once fully cooked with the masala - this creates a thicker consistency.
- Let the Rajma Masala sit for 15 minutes so all the flavors can marry together.
Rajma Masala is:
Creamy
Flavorful
Delicious
Comfort Food
Perfect on Cold Nights
Vegan
Gluten-Free
Healthy
How to make Punjabi Rajma Masala recipe step by step?
Prep
1. Soak 1.5 cups kidney beans in 5-6 cups of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
The next day - drain and rinse well. Add 4 cups of water to the soaked kidney beans. Cook in the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 12 minutes. Let the beans release naturally.
2. Here's the result. Go ahead and complete the next steps while the kidney beans cook.
3. Finely chop red onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic.
4. Puree tomatoes using a Nutri-Bullet. This should be roughly 2 cups.
Make Rajma Masala
3. Heat up a dutch oven on medium heat, once hot, add oil, followed by cumin seeds, bay leaf, and black cardamom. Saute for a minute.
4. Add onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Season lightly with salt. Cook down for 5-7 minutes until the onions are slightly brown.
5. Don't worry if the onions stick to the pan, it'll all come off. Add the following spices - red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Cook for 30 seconds.
6. Immediately add water to avoid the spices from burning. Also, deglaze the bottom of the pan.
7. Cook for a couple of minutes until all the water has evaporated
8. Add the tomato puree. Mix well.
9. Allow the tomatoes to cook for a couple of minutes. Season with a little salt.
10. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on low-medium heat.
11. Your masala is ready.
12. Add all the cooked rajma along with the liquid to the masala mixture.
13. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on low-medium heat.
14. Mash the beans slightly - this will give the rajma a thicker consistency. Turn off the stove.
15. Add amchur (mango powder), dry Kasoori methi, garam masala, and fresh cilantro.
16. Stir. Let the Rajma Masala sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to combine.
Enjoy Rajma Chawal!
More Punjabi Comfort Food!
Rajma Masala
Vegan. Gluten-Free. Healthy.
Ingredients
for the cooked rajma - Instant Pot
- 1 ½ cups light red dried kidney beans
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups water
for the rajma masala
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 2 inch ginger, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ cup water, to deglaze
- 4 plum tomatoes, pureed, roughly 2 cups
- salt to taste
- add cooked rajma
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kasoor methi
- ½ teaspoon amchur, mango powder
Instructions
Prep
- Soak 1.5 cups kidney beans in 5-6 cups of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- The next day - drain and rinse well. Add 4 cups of water to the soaked kidney beans. Cook in the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 12 minutes. Let the beans release naturally.
- Here's the result. Go ahead and complete the next steps while the kidney beans cook.
- Finely chop red onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic.
- Puree tomatoes using a Nutri-Bullet. This should be roughly 2 cups.
Make Rajma Masala
- Heat up a dutch oven on medium heat, once hot, add oil, followed by cumin seeds, bay leaf, and black cardamom. Saute for a minute.
- Add onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Season lightly with salt. Cook down for 5-7 minutes until the onions are slightly brown.
- Don't worry if the onions stick to the pan, it'll all come off. Add the following spices - red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Immediately add water to avoid the spices from burning. Also, deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- Cook for a couple of minutes until all the water has evaporated
- Add the tomato puree. Mix well.
- Allow the tomatoes to cook for a couple of minutes. Season with a little salt.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes on low-medium heat.
- Your masala is ready.
- Add all the cooked rajma along with the liquid to the masala mixture.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes on low-medium heat.
- Mash the beans slightly - this will give the rajma a thicker consistency. Turn off the stove.
- Add amchur (mango powder), dry Kasoori methi, garam masala, and fresh cilantro.
- Stir. Let the Rajma Masala sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to combine.
Nutrition
C says
How many cans do I need? I’m from Europe, we have the 400 grams kidney beans in can. Can’t find the other ones at the moment.
honeywhatscooking says
Hi, This recipe uses fresh uncooked kidney beans, not cans.
C says
Hi, I know 🙂 that’s why I asked how many cans I can use instead of the fresh ones (since I can’t buy those around here).
Ashwini says
Loved this recipe! Have made it a couple times and the flavor is great!
Heena says
Rajma masala was so good
Ashwini Sharath says
Made this dish after 10 years! The last time I tried another recipe, it turned out bad and I was scared to try it again! When I came across Nisha's recipe, I just had to make it because it was so easy to follow and the photos looked so tempting! And it definitely did not disappoint me! Tastes exactly like the authentic Rajma masala!!
Devyani Bhatnagar says
Made this last night! It was delicious! Love Nisha’s recipes!