Rajma Masala

 Who doesn't love simple soulful food? I truly believe that making food is very simple. Just a few spices a vegetable or a lentil, oil or ghee, and you are sorted for a healthy meal. Modern cooking has made certain dishes complicated and it sounds so that you need to first graduate from a cooking institute to make it. But it's not so. 

Our everyday Indian cooking is very easy and if you have some basic knowledge on it you are good to go and why not innovate it in your own style.

One such simple preparation is  Rajma Masala. It is generally associated with North Indian Cuisine. These black-eyed red beans are available in different varieties. I have tried many of them and all my favourite. Every variety has a distinct taste and adds unique colour and taste your palate.

This lentil curry is best accompanied with Roti(Indian flat bread) or rice. A dallop of ghee on top of hot rajma is delicious. 

Rajma is loaded with enormous health benefits. It is rich source of protien. Including it in our diet is always advisable who are weak and need to improve their haemoglobin as well.

I use this rajma variety... easily available at any grocery store. 

The prep method I use is simple and do not use onion and garlic. You may add it to your choice. We rather prefer eating raw onion with it as salad. 

Let's now get on to its recipe.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup Rajma ( Soak it for atleast 6 hours in 1+1/2 cup water.)

2 medium sized tomatoes( Pureed in a mixer)

Salt to taste

1 tsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee for tempering

1 tsp red chilli Powder + 1/2 tsp garam Masala

1+ 1/2 tsp Dry corainder powder

Pinch of Turmeric

1/4 tsp Jeera + Pinch of Hing

1 + 1/2 tsp of Kasoori methi 

Lemon + Fresh Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

• Pressure cook the rajma with the soaking water till soft. 3-4 whistles should be good. 
• In  a pan add the oil and ghee. Once warm temper the Jeera.
• Once the jeera is aromatic, it's time to add the tomato puree. cook it on medium flame till oil and ghee separates. this should take 3-4 minutes. 
• Add in all the spices now.........salt, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder.
• Cook for few seconds and now add all the boiled rajma.
• Mix it well and check for salt.
• Once everything is perfectly mixed and boiling for  3-4 minutes. Crush the Kasoori methi between your palms and add it to the boiling curry. Stir and switch off the flame.
• Garnish it corander leaves, a dash of lemon and a dallop of ghee on top. 
• Serve hot with roti or rice and your comfort meal is ready.

Tips

• While boiling rajma, take first whistle on high flame and next 2-3 whistles on low flame. This way the rajma boils well and reamins intact in shape and do not split.
• Adding kasoori methi to rajma/ chole/ any gravy sabji gives a very distinct flavour and also adds to aroma. 

Try making the rajma masala prefer including it in kids diet. It is a nutritious meal in itself.

Do write to me if you have any queries. I'll be happy to answer them.

Till then,

Stay Happy Stay Healthy!