Rajma Curry

There is a Punjabi Rajma Curry which goes perfectly well with simple plain rice...hugely and insanely popular with everyone and everywhere. And there are other Rajma curries...which people from other states tweak to adapt to their flavours. This Rajma Curry is just the same. This is a very very Bengali styled Rajma curry. Ma used to make them in a very simple fashion and added cubed potatoes to them.

I know it’s really odd for others but seriously we add potatoes to everything we find tasty. I think it jut makes the dish tastierrrrr!!! Even noodles cannot escape from this potato wrath!! Garlic pasta with thin wedges of potatoes and a little scrambles egg is a good Sunday breakfast. Trust me...Its very very addicting!! And if you can save some maggi masalas from their packets, then also throw them along with the noodles..and its ready. Lovey dobbbeyyyy goodies!!!

Shallow fry the potatoes until golden.

Temper the rest of the oil with whole spices and then add the chopped onions to them.

When the onions are golden brown add the ginger - garlic paste to it. Cook till the raw garlic flavour is gone.

Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook till the oil separates 

Add the spices and cook to ward off the raw spice smell.

Add a little water and make a gravy.

Finally add the cooked rajma beans and fried potatoes.

Add water and simmer till the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Finally add the garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves.

I like my Rajma Curry with Rotis only. It gives me a good mommyland punch. A simple curry with the cooked beans and some potatoes... and end with lots of chopped coriander leaves. Easy and simple.

Rajma Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of rajma / red kidney beans

1 medium onion – finely chopped

1 potato – peeled and cubed

1 tomato – chopped

4 cloves of garlic – paste

½ inch stick of ginger – paste

1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

3 green cardamoms

1 bay leaf 

1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp red chilli powder

1 and ½ tsp cumin powder

1 and ½ tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp thick cream (optional)

A handful of coriander leaves – chopped

2 -3 green chillies – chopped

Salt

1-2 tbsp oil

Method:

Wash and soak the rajma / red kidney beans overnight. Then cook it in a pressure cooker with some salt till the cooker blows 4-6 whistles. If you are not using a pressure cooker then do it on a dutch oven until it is cooked through. Do check by squishing it with your thumb. If it is squished very easily then it is ready.

Once done strain the water and keep the cooked rajma / red kidney beans aside.

In a kadai / pan heat the oil and shallow fry the cubed potatoes until golden. Once done take them out of the pan and keep in a separate bowl.

Temper the rest of the oil with cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and bay leaf. Saute for half a minute or until the oil becomes aromatic and then add the chopped onions to them.

Stir and cook the onions till they become golden brown.

Then add the ginger – garlic paste and cook till the raw flavour of the garlic is gone.

Next add the chopped tomatoes to them. Sprinkle some salt over them and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and the oil has started to ooze out from them.

Add a little water to this curry and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.

Mix in and cook till the raw flavour of the spices are gone.

Now add the cooked rajma and fried potatoes to the curry and pour in 2 and ½ cups of water.

Add some more salt and let them cook covered till the potatoes are cooked and the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

Next add the thick cream (if you are using them), add the garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves.

Give a good stir and simmer for 2 minutes more.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Then put off the flame and serve hot with hot steamed rice or roti or naan.