Pressure Cook
'rajma' or kidney beans curry
- Serves 4-5
Author Notes
Rajma (or kidney beans) curry has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Our mom used to and still makes it every Sunday for lunch. It’s almost like a vegetarian chilli. Rajma with chawal (rice) is the ultimate comfort food for me. There must be something about this combination of beans and rice that makes it so popular all over the world, although the flavorings are a little different everywhere. Red beans and rice is a traditional Monday dinner dish in Louisiana Creole cuisine. Cubans have something called Platillo Moros y Cristianos, which is a combination of rice and black beans. Koreans make Kongbap, but apparently it’s not very popular since it has long been a staple of Korean prison food! Countries in Latin America, Central America, the Caribbean, West Africa all have their own versions. Here’s mine!
—anu
Ingredients
-
1 cup
Rajma or kidney beans
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1
medium onion, chopped
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1
large tomato, chopped
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2-3
garlic cloves, finely chopped
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1"
piece of ginger, finely chopped
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1
green chilli, or to taste
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2 teaspoons
cumin seeds
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1 teaspoon
red chilli powder, or to taste
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1/2 teaspoon
turmeric powder
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2 teaspoons
coriander powder
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1 teaspoon
garam masala (optional)
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2 tablespoons
canola oil
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Salt, to taste
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Cilantro, for garnishing
Directions
- Wash and soak the beans in water overnight.
- Drain the water used for soaking and pressure cook them in 3-4 times the water till tender. It should take around 15-20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and once the pressure is gone, transfer the contents of the cooker into a separate bowl.
- Rinse the cooker and put it back on the flame.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil and once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds.
- Let the seeds crackle, then add onions, ginger, garlic and green chilli.
- Saute till the onions turn brown, then add the tomatoes.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes and add the dry spices. Cook them for 10 seconds.
- Then add the boiled rajma back into the cooker and pressure cook again for 20 minutes or so. Although the rajma was already boiled, the second round of pressure cooking ensures that the spices, onions etc. are fully integrated and not merely floating around. The exact time needed will depend on the quantity of beans and the make of your pressure cooker. Basically, cook it till everything is properly combined. Another trick to amalgamate the mixture is to take out a few spoonfuls of boiled rajma, mash them and then add back to the cooker before cooking them for the second time.
- Garnish with cilantro and eat with white basmati rice!
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