Rajma Chawal (Red Kidney Bean Curry with Rice)
Cuisine: Chinese
This North Indian home-style dish is a traditional favorite in Punjab and Delhi.
3 / 5
★★★☆☆
1842 kcal
Ingredients
- Red kidney beans (Rajma)
- Basmati rice or regular rice
- Onion
- Tomato
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Green chili
- Cilantro
- Cooking oil or ghee
- Turmeric powder
- Red chili powder
- Coriander powder
- Cumin powder
- Garam masala
- Bay leaves
- Salt
- Pressure cooker (recommended) or ordinary pot
Steps
Preparation (8 hours ahead)
- Soak the dried kidney beans in water for at least 8 hours (overnight); they will roughly double in size.
Cooking the kidney beans
- Drain the soaked kidney beans.
- With a pressure cooker: add the beans and 600 ml of water, close the lid, bring up to pressure over high heat, then lower to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, until *the beans crush easily between your fingers*.
- With an ordinary pot: add the beans and plenty of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium and cook for 60-90 minutes, until the beans are completely soft.
- Once cooked, reserve the bean cooking liquid.
Making the curry
- Heat 30 ml of cooking oil in a wok or pan over medium heat.
- Add 2 bay leaves and fry until *fragrant* (about 10 seconds).
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until *golden brown* (about 6-8 minutes).
- Add the grated ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped tomato and cook until *the tomato is completely soft and the oil separates* (about 5 minutes).
- Add 3 g turmeric, 5 g red chili powder, 5 g coriander powder, 3 g cumin powder and 6 g salt.
- Sauté for 2 minutes so the spices blend with the tomato.
- Pour the cooked kidney beans into the pan together with their cooking liquid.
- Add the green chili and stir well.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mash some of the beans with the back of a spatula so the sauce becomes *thick*.
- Add 3 g garam masala and stir well.
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.
Cooking the rice
- Rinse the rice well.
- Put it in the rice cooker with 400 ml of water.
- Cook as usual.
Serving
- Spoon the rice onto a plate.
- Pour the kidney bean curry over or beside the rice.
- Serve with onion salad and lemon wedges if you like.
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Notes
This North Indian home-style dish is a traditional favorite in Punjab and Delhi. The tomato-onion gravy is rich and spicy, the slow-simmered kidney beans become soft and flavorful, and mixed with hot rice it's warm and filling. Beans are rich in protein, dietary fiber and trace minerals, making for a balanced meal. It's simple and beginner-friendly, taking about 40 minutes of cooking, though the dried beans need to soak 8 hours in advance. A rich, homey flavor that tastes like mom's cooking.
Estimated difficulty: ★★★
Estimated calories: 1842 kcal
Quantities:
Decide how many servings you plan to make before you start. One serving is just right for 2-3 people.
Per serving:
Kidney bean curry
- Dried red kidney beans 200 g (soaked 8 hours in advance)
- 2 onions (about 200 g), chopped
- 3 tomatoes (about 300 g), chopped (or 30 ml tomato paste)
- Ginger 10 g, grated
- Garlic 4 cloves (about 12 g), grated
- 1 green chili, slit
- Cooking oil 30 ml
- 2 bay leaves
- Turmeric powder 3 g
- Red chili powder 5 g
- Coriander powder 5 g
- Cumin powder 3 g
- Garam masala 3 g
- Salt 6 g
- Water 600 ml
- Cilantro leaves 15 g (for garnish)
Rice
- Rice 200 g
- Water 400 ml
- Kidney beans must be fully cooked before eating; undercooked kidney beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, which can cause food poisoning.
- In India, Rajma Chawal is considered the ultimate taste of home, similar to the status of red-braised pork with rice in China.
- For a richer texture, add 30 ml of light cream.
- Leftover kidney bean curry keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and tastes even better.