Rajma (Kidney beans)

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry Kidney beans or 2 cans of kidney beans
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 tea bags
• 2 tbl spoon of vegetable oil
• 1.5 teaspoon cumin seed
• ¼ teaspoon of asefotida (optional)
• 3 pods of black cardamom
• 3 bay leaves
• 1-2 pods of dried red chilies
• 2 Onions finely chopped onions
• 2 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1.5 cups of crushed tomatoes from can
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon of paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbl spoon of coriander powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (all spice)
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Soak the kidney beans for 7-8 hours (overnight).
2. Put beans in a pressure cooker and add 5 cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt baking soda, and tea bags. Pressure cook until beans are almost soft. Take the teabags and discard them. Set the beans aside.
3. You can used canned kidney bean to avoid above steps
4. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add cumin seed, when crackle, add asefotida and immediately followed by cardamom, bay leaves and chili pods.
5. Add garlic and ginger and fry for 1 min
6. Add onions and try until golden brown
7. Add crushed tomatoes, let it cook for 2-3 min while you do following
8. Take yogurt in bowl and add all the spices to it and mix well
9. Add this yogurt mixed with spices to the onion tomatoes paste on stove
10. Cook for 1-2 more min
11. Add cooked Kidney beans to it, taste it and then and add salt to taste.
12. Cook this for 3-5 minutes to desired consistency
13. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves

Note: You can also make this recipe without yogurt, which is more traditional dish from Punjab, simply omit step # 8 and add all the spices to the sauteed onion tomatoes on the stove and then add Kidney beans.

Quantity of spices can be varied per desired heat and flavours.

Serve hot with Roti/Chapati and Basmati Rice.

Recipe by Surekha
Photograph by Surekha

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