Rajma (Rajma Masala - Red Kidney Beans Curry)
Here's a one-pot, flavorful North Indian-style Rajma Masala recipe. This recipe transforms the humble red kidney bean into a creamy yet light, textured curry. Top with red onions (more texture!) and serve with basmati rice for a cozy, wholesome meal. Includes instructions for using both dried and canned red kidney beans.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup/180g dried dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed (see Note 1 for cooking dried kidney beans))
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed oil)
- 1 medium yellow onion (very finely chopped - i like to use the pulse setting of my food processor to mince (~15 pulses))
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 small dried bay leaf
- 1- inch piece cinnamon stick
- 8 black peppercorns (optional)
- 1 small black cardamom (optional)
- 4-5 garlic cloves (crushed or finely chopped)
- 1- inch piece ginger (crushed or finely chopped)
- 2 medium Roma or Vine tomatoes (puréed/blended in a food processor)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
- 1/3 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups water (or reserved cooking water if using dried beans - See Note 2)
- 2-3 small Thai chili or serrano peppers (left whole or halved lengthwise (deseed to reduce heat))
- 2-3 tbsp heavy whipping cream (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi, crushed between the palms of your hands)
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- sliced or chopped red onions
- lemon or lime wedges
Instructions
- 1
Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and whole spices (cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and black cardamom). Sauté for 7-8 minutes, until the onions turn golden brown. Deglaze with 2-3 tbsp of water. Once the water dries up, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes, until aromatic and the onions deepen even more in color. If the garlic/ginger start to stick, deglaze again with 2-3 tbsp water. Add the blended tomatoes and tomato paste and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes reduce and the oil starts to leave the sides.
- 2
Pour in ¼ cup water to deglaze the pan. Add ground spices and salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices. The oil will once again release from the onion-tomato mixture. Add the cooked kidney beans and stir to coat in the masala. Using a wooden spoon, gently mash the kidney beans for better texture. Pour in the measured water (or reserved cooking liquid).
- 3
Bring to a light boil (cover to make it boil faster), then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. The mixture will have thickened up, but it should still be runny.
- 4
Uncover and cook for another 1-2 minutes, continuing to crush the kidney beans with a wooden spoon. The mixture should still be soupy, but thick enough to start to stick to the bottom if left alone. If the mixture thickens too much, add 1/4-1/2 cup water and allow to come to a simmer. Add the green chili peppers, heavy cream, butter, and fenugreek leaves. Stir gently to combine.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and gently simmer for 3 minutes. The oil will start to rise and line the sides of the curry. Garnish with garam masala and cilantro. Turn off the heat. I pair with basmati rice and have often seen it with zeera rice (basmati rice with cumin seeds) but you can also pair it with naan, roti, or other bread. Serve with sliced red onions and lemon wedges on the side.