RAJMA (KIDNEY BEANS - VEGETABLE) GRAVY

                        

This is a tasty, healthy and protein-rich curry which goes well with chapathi as well as rice. The main ingredient of this typically Maharashtrian dish is ‘rajma’ (kidney beans – vegetable) and is not as heavy a dish as the Punjabi dish made with the lentil-rajma.

                 

                 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. Fresh rajma (kidney beans) (unshelled) – 500 gms
2. Onion – 2 medium sized – chopped fine
3. Ginger – ½” – chopped fine
4. Garlic paste – ½ tsp
5. Green chilli – 3 (slit)
6. Tomatoes – 3 medium sized
7. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
8. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
9. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
10. Cumin powder – 1 tsp
11. Garam masala – 1- 1 ½ tsp
12. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
13. Asafetida – a pinch
14. Salt to taste
15. Oil – 2 tbsp
16. Coriander leaves – chopped fine – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Shell the kidney beans and wash well.
2. Pressure-cook the kidney beans with turmeric and salt – for 4-5 minutes after lowering the heat after the first whistle.
3. Finely chop onions and ginger and slit green chillies.
4. Cut each tomato into two, put them in a mixer and blend well. 
5. Heat 1½-2 tbsp oil in a kadhai and add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add a pinch of asafetida.
6. Add the finely chopped onions and fry. When translucent, add chopped ginger, garlic paste and green chillies and fry till onions are light brown.
7. Add turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powders, red chilli powder and garam masala and fry for a minute.
8. Add the tomato paste and fry on a medium heat till oil leaves the sides. Add ½ tbsp of oil if required.
9. Add the pressure-cooked kidney beans along with the water and boil.
10. Allow to simmer for 6-8 minutes.
11. After 10 minutes, garnish with coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot with chapathis or jeera rice – with a slice of lime.

Tips

1. If you feel it is less tangy, you can add required amount of lime juice or amchur (dry mango powder).
2. Maharashtrians add 2 tbsps of grated coconut ground along with green chillies and coriander leaves to the gravy and boil well before adding the cooked rajma.
3. If you are a busy professional, you can prepare the gravy (twice the quantity is ideal) and store it in the fridge. You can use it for two different recipes (preferably on alternate days) – may be dal / aloo matar / matar paneer / chana etc.
4. I use the onion chopper as it simplifies our job – it chops onions as per our requirement (doesn’t slice though!) and also whips the tomatoes to a fine juice.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.