Photo: FotoosVanRobin · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Punjab · Lunch

Rajma Chawal

Plump red kidney beans cooked in a thick, tangy tomato-onion gravy with Punjabi whole spices — served with steamed basmati rice. The ultimate Punjabi comfort meal eaten every Sunday across millions of households.

🧺 Ingredients

• 300g rajma (red kidney beans), soaked overnight
• 3 large tomatoes (300g), pureed
• 2 large onions (200g), finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-inch ginger, grated
• 3 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander for garnish
• 320g basmati rice, cooked
• Mashing some beans thickens the curry without adding cornflour.

👩‍🍳 How to make Rajma Chawal

1. Drain soaked rajma.
2. Pressure cook with fresh water (600ml), salt, and 1 bay leaf on HIGH for 6–7 whistles.
3. Beans should be completely soft — press one between fingers, it should mash easily with no hard centre.
4. Heat oil in kadai on HIGH.
5. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, black cardamom — splutter 30 sec.
6. Add onions — fry on HIGH 8 min until deep golden-brown (this colour is essential for rich gravy).
7. Add garlic-ginger paste, fry MEDIUM 2 min.
8. Add tomato puree.
9. Cook on MEDIUM-HIGH, stirring frequently, 8–10 min until oil separates at edges and masala darkens from orange to brick-red.
10. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric — stir 1 min.
11. Add cooked rajma along with its cooking water.
12. Mash 20% of beans against the pot side to thicken gravy naturally.
13. Simmer on LOW 12–15 min until gravy coats the back of a spoon.
14. Add garam masala, adjust salt.

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