Rajma Chawal (Kidney Bean Curry with Rice)
Local name: राजमा चावल
In short: Red kidney beans simmered in an onion, tomato and ginger gravy until thick and creamy, served over steamed basmati rice. North Indian comfort food. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 555 kcal
In northern India, rajma chawal is the Sunday lunch many people grew up on: soft red kidney beans in a thick, mildly spiced tomato gravy, ladled over rice. The beans are soaked overnight and pressure cooked until they crush easily, and a few mashed into the sauce give it body. No cream or flour is needed. Serve it with sliced raw onion and a squeeze of lime.
Instructions
- Drain the soaked beans and put them in a pressure cooker with the water and 1 tsp salt. Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes, then let the pressure fall naturally. The beans should crush easily between two fingers.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear and soak for 20 minutes. Drain, then bring to a boil with the water and salt. Cover, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes. Rest 5 minutes off the heat and fluff with a fork.
- Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Fry the cumin seeds and bay leaf for 20 seconds, then add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until deep golden.
- Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chili for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until thick and the oil separates.
- Add the beans with all their cooking liquid. Crush a ladleful of beans against the side of the pot and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the gravy is thick and clings to a spoon.
- Stir in the garam masala and fresh coriander, then taste and adjust the salt. Add hot water if the gravy is too thick.
- Serve the rajma over the rice with sliced onion and a squeeze of lime.
Tips
- Never slow-cook red kidney beans without boiling them hard for at least 10 minutes first. Raw beans contain a natural toxin that boiling or pressure cooking destroys.
- Short on time? Use two 400 g (14 oz) cans of kidney beans, drained, with 250 ml (1 cup) water, and simmer in the masala for 25 minutes.
Questions and answers
Do I need to soak kidney beans overnight?
Soaking shortens the cooking time and helps the beans cook evenly. A quick soak in boiling water for 1 hour is a fair alternative. Always discard the soaking water.
How do I get a thick, creamy rajma gravy?
Mash a ladleful of cooked beans into the sauce and simmer uncovered until it clings to a spoon. The starch from the beans does the thickening, so no cream or flour is needed.
Can I make rajma ahead or freeze it?
Yes. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes even better on day two. Freeze the beans in their gravy for up to 3 months and reheat with a splash of water.
How long does it take to make Rajma Chawal (Kidney Bean Curry with Rice)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Rajma Chawal (Kidney Bean Curry with Rice)?
About 555 kcal per serving, with 20 g of protein, 94 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 555 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 94 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 17 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 1050 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
