Post-Partition Punjabi Rajma Chawal
Soft kidney beans simmered in a thick onion-tomato gravy, served over steamed rice, a Sunday staple in Chandigarh homes of Punjabi settler families.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 350 kcal
Equipment
- •Pressure cooker
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 11 g
- protein
- 13 g
- calories
- 350 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pressure cook soaked rajma (kidney beans) with salt and enough water until soft. Cook for about 25 minutes.
- 2
Separately cook basmati rice until fluffy. Set it aside.
- 3
Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle and pop.
- 4
Add onion to the pan. Fry until golden brown.
- 5
Stir in ginger-garlic paste. Cook until it smells fragrant.
- 6
Add tomato puree, chilli powder and garam masala (warm spice blend). Cook until the oil separates.
- 7
Pour in the cooked rajma with its liquid and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash a few beans to make it thick.
- 8
Adjust the salt to taste. Garnish with coriander and serve hot over steamed rice.
Chef's tips
Mash a few beans against the pan. This naturally thickens the gravy without needing extra flour.
Ingredient substitutions
- red kidney beans → canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days; flavour deepens overnight.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop with a little water to loosen the gravy.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not soaking the beans long enough, which causes them to cook unevenly.
Serving suggestions
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