Rajma-Chawal is the sweetheart of North Indian meal combinations.
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Wikipedia says red kidney bean was brought to Indian subcontinent from Mexico. Rajma-chawal also happens to be that one Indian food that my Brazilian kids identify with. It happens to be their staple food back home too. It is so wonderful how food binds people even though we are from different continents.
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Red kidney beans soaked overnight, pressure cooked and simmered with bhuna masala made of onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and a combination of spices such as coriander, cumin, red chillies and turmeric turn into this magical Rajma masala which can be relished with plain rice, jeera rice, rotis and phulkas alike! If you are up for some wacky combination, I plan on serving rajma masala with dosas for breakfast!
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To me rajma is an emotion – it is a bond between sisters! Each time that I’m making rajma, I call my sister and bug her and she patiently goes through the recipe once again. Well that’s what little sisters do the best…bug the big sister! 🤪
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In my thali~
🔸Jeera rice
🔸Rajma masala
🔸Pista lassi
🔸Pomegranate arils
🔸Cucumbers
🔸Sev
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Sharing my sister’s Rajma recipe below. Do check my other North Indian dish recipes too:

1. Amaranth/ rajgira paratha
2. Gajar ka halwa
3. Amla murabba
4. Lauki raita
5. Kadai Paneer
6. Matar-paneer
7. Paneer makhani/ paneer butter masala
8. Paneer bhurji/ masala
9. Paneer Khurchan
10. Paneer Pasanda
11. Palak kofta curry
12. Punjabi kadhi pakoda
13. Dal bukhara
14. Dal maharani
15. Kashmiri Dum Aloo

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Rajma Recipe:

Serves – 3
1 cup = 150 ml

INGREDIENTS:

• For pressure cooking:
• 1 cup – Rajma
• 3 cup – Water
• 1/2 tsp – Salt
• For gravy:
• 3 tsp – Oil
• 1 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 1 – Bayleaf
• A pinch of Ajwain/ caraway seeds
• A pinch of Hing/ asafoetida
• 1 – Green chilli, slit
• 1 – Onion, big, diced
• 2 tsp – Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp – Coriander powder
• 3 – Tomatoes, diced ( in general, twice the quantity of onion)
• Salt to taste (1/2 tsp approx.)
• 1 tsp – Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – Kasuri methi
• 1/2 tsp – Roasted cumin powder
• 1tsp – Everest chhole masala
• For garnishing:
• 1/4 cup – Coriander leaves, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Soak 1 cup rajma overnight and pressure cook with 1/2 tsp salt for 5-6 whistles such that the rajmas become soft and can be crushed by two fingers.
2) Dice a large onion, and 3 tomatoes. Slit a green chilli. Finely chop coriander leaves. 3) Heat 3tsp oil. Add 1tsp cumin seeds, 1bayleaf, a pinch of asafoetida, 1 green chilli slit, 1/4 tsp ajwain and sauté.
4) Add 1 big diced onion and sauté.
5) Add salt.
6) When onions turn transparent, add 2tsp ginger-garlic paste and sauté. 7) Add 3 diced tomatoes.
8) Add 1tsp coriander powder.
9) Cover and cook until oil separates. Keep stirring in between.
10) Add 1tsp kashmiri red chilli powder. 11) Add 1/4tsp turmeric powder & turn off heat.
12) Cool & grind the above mixture *except for the bayleaf* .
13) Add the ground masala to the same pot.
14) Add boiled rajma along with all the water it was cooked in. 15) Add 1tsp Everest chana masala, 1tbsp crushed kasuri methi, 1/2tsp roasted cumin powder.
16) Add 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves.
17) Mix well. Cook on low heat until desired consistency of gravy is reached. 18) It is ready to be served. Serve hot with rice or with any kind of flatbread. Here is a thali where I served rajma with bajra rotis/ sajje rotti in a North meets South kind of combination.In my thali~
🔸Ghee smeared bajra rotis
🔸Rajma
🔸Chickoo milkshake w/ chia seeds
🔸Gongura pachadi
🔸Onions, cucumbers
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Have a great day! Love M❤️