Rajma is a popular Indian vegetarian dish and is hugely loved by the Punjabi people. It mainly consists of red kidney beans in thick gravy with lots of Indian whole spices. Red kidney beans are called as Rajma in Hindi and Punjabi and are an integral part of the cuisine in northern region of India. The red kidney beans resemble the shape of a kidney hence the name red kidney bean.
The red kidney bean is not of Indian origin. The dish Rajma developed after the red kidney bean was brought to the Indian subcontinent from Central Mexico and Guatemala. Rajma is mainly served with boiled rice and roti.
Ingredients of Rajma
•1 cup or 200 gms rajma
•2 cloves
•1 cinnamon stick
•1 bay leaf
•1 tsp oil
•1 tsp butter
•1 tsp cumin seeds
•1tsp turmeric powder
•1 tsp cumin powder
•1 tsp garam masala
•1/2 cup finely chopped onions
•1 tblsp ginger- garlic paste
•1 cup chopped tomatoes
•Salt to taste
Method of Preparing Rajma
•First, wash and soak rajma overnight or for at least for 8 hours.
•Then cook the soaked rajma in about 3 cups of water in pressure cooker until rajma is soft and tender. Reserve the stock; it can be used later to the gravy.
•Heat oil in a pan, fry cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf for a minute. Then add chopped onions. Saute it till the onions turns to golden brown.
•Add ginger garlic paste. Fry till golden and cooked. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and saute it till tomatoes become soft.
•Add boiled rajma to it with salt, butter and the rajma stock. Cover it and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. When the rajma gets nicely blended with the curry, sprinkle some chopped coriander and move to a serving dish.
•Garnish it with few coriander leaves.
•Serve hot.
The rajma dish can be prepared at home and is also available in restaurants. This dish is very nutritious as the kidney bean is loaded with protein, thiamin (vitamin B1), phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, and vitamin K. It is also rich in soluble dietary fibre and is a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fibre.
