Rajma (Kidney Beans Curry)

Soaked and boiled Rajma beans are cooked with spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Rajma (kidney beans)
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2-3 Green chilies
• 1 bay leaf
• 1” Cinnamon stick
• 2 brown cardamoms
• 3-4 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsps fresh coriander leaves chopped fine

Method:

• Wash and soak Rajma in water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
• Place soaked Rajma, water, 1 tsp salt, one bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon in a pressure cooker. Close the lid and bring to boil, until you hear hissing sound. Turn heat down to low and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cool and check that they are soft when pressed. If not, cook for another four-five minutes.
• Meanwhile grind onion, diced tomatoes, and green chilies to a fine paste.
• Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame. Add onion tomato paste, ginger garlic paste and fry until it becomes little transparent. Add dry spices - cumin, coriander, red chili, turmeric and salt. Fry until the oil begins to separate from the paste.
• Add this masala to the boiled Rajma in the pressure cooker. Mix well. Add water to make gravy of your choice.
• Add garam masala and half the cilantro leaves. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until gravy becomes little thick. Take out in a serving bowl and mix in lemon juice.
• Garnish with rest of chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve with hot plain boiled rice / roti / paratha / and pickle and / or raita.

Note: If you are using pre-boiled tinned kidney beans, you can directly cook it in fried onion tomato masala.

Do You Know?

These large, distinctive kidney-shaped, deep reddish-brown, chewy, nutty and soft textured Red Kidney Beans are believed to be very versatile. They pick up flavors well, and they are reported to be very easy to digest especially if cooked and eaten with different various herbs.

Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.