Punjabi Rajma Chawal
Red kidney beans simmered in a thick onion-tomato gravy, ladled over steamed rice — the ultimate Sunday comfort meal in Punjabi homes.
- Prep
- 480 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 530 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 290 kcal
Equipment
- •Pressure cooker
- •Kadhai
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 10 g
- protein
- 12 g
- calories
- 290 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pressure cook the soaked rajma (kidney beans) with salt and a little turmeric. Cook for about 30 minutes until very soft.
- 2
Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a kadhai (deep pan). Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- 3
Add onions and fry gently until golden brown.
- 4
Add ginger garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Stir in the tomato puree.
- 5
Add chilli powder and the remaining turmeric. Cook this masala (spice base) until oil separates.
- 6
Add the cooked rajma and its cooking liquid. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, mashing a few beans to thicken the gravy.
- 7
Stir in the garam masala (warm spice blend). Simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
- 8
Ladle the hot rajma generously over warm steamed rice and serve.
Chef's tips
Mash some beans against the side of the pot to thicken the gravy naturally without cream. Rajma tastes even better the next day once the flavours settle.
Ingredient substitutions
- ghee → mustard oil for a more rustic flavour
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not soaking the rajma long enough, which leaves the beans hard and undercooked.
- •Rushing the onion and tomato base, which leaves the gravy tasting raw.
Serving suggestions
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