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| Rajma Curry with a dollop of sour cream for a hearty stew! |
A Hearty vegetarian dish for a rainy, cold, spring day. It goes to My Legume Love Affair # 57, originally created by The Well Seasoned Cook and now managed by Lisa; hosted this month by PJ .
Simple Rajma Curry,
Ma's recipe
A favourite from our childhood. This curry belonged to a group from Ma's repertoire that brought back fond memories of our time in the North. It reminded us of the Holi celebrations there, something which was not celebrated in Kerala. Rajma, Boondi Raita, and a Chicken Curry was the norm for the celebrations. Ma always always made it with a raita: yougurt, ginger, green chillies, onions & tomatoes or a seasoned Boondi Raita. Rajma Chawal/ Rajma and Rice was a favourite Sunday lunch.
Apparently Ma's recipe changes slightly from time to time.
However, the taste was consistent every time she made it.
When asked, she would say, "Sometimes I add a little bit of garam masala or the one for the Chana or else just this..."
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| Soaked Kidney Beans ready for pressure cooking with a clove of black cardamom and bits of ginger and garlic from the 'mixie wash'!!! |
Notes
- **Tomatoes are used according to their
sourness, use less or more according to taste
- Red Chilli powder is also used the same
way
- Substitute with green chillies; according
to taste
- *Soaking Time for kidney beans: 6-8 hours
depending on the variety.
- Cooking Time for Kidney Beans in
Pressure Cooker: 20-30 minutes, Plus 10 minutes for simmer.
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cup dried kidney beans/ red rajma used here
**Tomatoes: approximately 2 Cups
Onions-1/2 cup, finely chopped
Garlic-2 cloves
Ginger-1 tsp chopped
Cinnamon- 1/2 piece
Cloves-1
Green Cardamom- 1
Black Cardamom -1
Bay Leaf - a peice
Turmeric Powder-1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder -1/2 tsp or according to taste
Oil- 1/4 Cup
Garnish
Optional but affects the taste! : A teaspoon of Ghee/ Clarified Butter
Fresh chopped coriander for garnish.
Method
Soak the Rajma overnight in plenty/ double the amount of cold water
Rinse thoroughly and use fresh water to cover the Rajma with 3/4 - 1 inch of water.
Add one clove of black cardamom and salt
*Pressure cook for one whistle on medium heat
Turn the heat down slightly and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Grind the green cardamom, clove and cinnamon along with the
tomato, ginger and garlic.
Finely chop the onions
Heat oil and temper the cumin seeds,
Saute the chopped onions until soft,
Add the tomato, ginger and garlic paste
Saute on medium high heat until the oil separates.
Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder
Add the Bay leaf
Saute for a couple of minutes
Add the cooked kidney beans with the black cardamom
Simmer for 10 minutes.
or
Add the masala paste to the cooked kidney beans in the pressure cooker
Cook on medium high for one whistle
Switch off.
Serve with a garnish of finely chopped coriander
