Punjabi Style Rajma Chawal Recipe

Rajma Chawal is a vegetarian dish, originating from the Indian subcontinent, though it is enjoyed all over the country, and it is spicy, aromatic, flavourful and simply out of this world! For the authentic feel, try to stick to the original recipe ingredients as much as possible but you can also use suitable substitutes.

Rajma Chawal is often cooked in a Punjabi house. It is a tasty vegetarian recipe that cooks the kidney beans in a spicy masala paste with ginger, garlic, chillies and tomatoes. It is usually served with white rice. It is a popular dish in the northern states of India like Jammu, Punjab.

It has been part of the culinary tradition for a very, very long time now. The recipe has evolved and improved over the years, becoming more and more tasty. If you are looking for a satisfying meal that is prepared in less than half an hour, this is a great option. The rustic dish is cooked in a single pan and is very easy to make. To complete the meal, it is traditional to serve rajma dal with boiled rice, Kachumber salad and a pickle.

Rajma Masala is a very spicy and aromatic stew, with coriander, ginger, chillies and Garam Masala, ideal for cold weather. Garam Masala is a mixture of several dry spices widely used in Indian cuisine, especially in the north of the country, and which gives dishes a great aroma and flavour. The most basic mixture contains cumin, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and nutmeg. Just one bite of this delicious recipe will catapult you to the very heart of India. It is also perfect as a single dish, combining legumes and rice to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet.

This Rajma Masala dish will catapult you to Punjab just by taking a spoonful in your mouth and without leaving your kitchen. In addition to spices, legumes are one of the most commonly used foods in Indian cuisine, due to their versatility, flavour and because they go wonderfully with the many spices they use in their stews and preparations.

Rich in protein, fibre, potassium, iron, magnesium they allow you to obtain, together with rice, vegetables and, sometimes, meat or fish, very nutritionally complete recipes. White beans in particular are necessary in a varied and balanced diet as they have many nutritional benefits such as calcium, high levels of phosphorus, which favours the absorption of calcium, potassium, magnesium, Omega 3 and 6, as well as, of course, protein and fibre.

Another of the strong points of Indian cuisine is spiciness. A large number of traditional recipes include spices that add spiciness to the final result, in addition to aromatic spices. In this case we have used red chillies, but if your tongue is not spiciness-proof, you can always eliminate this item from the list.

As the sauce is a little thick, the mixture with boiled rice is delicious. You get a complete portion perfect as a single dish to take, for example, to the office or eat on a break away from home. Everyone will want to try your Rajma Masala!

During winter time I love these spicy foods. I cooked it Punjabi style which involves soaking the kidney beans in water overnight, cooking them in a pressure cooker and then mixing them in bhuna masala, which is a type of curry where the spices are cooked in oil, without water.

Difficulty: Very easy
Preparation time: 8 Hours
Cooking time: 55 Minutes
Serving: 2 people
Cooking method: Stove
Cuisine: Indian, Punjabi

Ingredients

For the Rajma:

• 200 g red beans
• 2 onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cup oil
• 3 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 teaspoon amchcoor or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt to taste

For the Chawal (rice):

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups of water
• Salt to taste

Rice preparation:

Place the rice in a colander and rinse it 2-3 times under the tap. Leave the rice in the colander to drain all the water.

Then add the rice and salt to a pot with water over high heat. Stir and wait until it starts to boil.

Lower the heat to low and cover. Cook for 12 minutes and then lift the lid.

Using a fork, stir the grains to loosen them. Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on.

Rajma masala preparation:

Soak the beans in water for at least 8 hours and then cook in a pressure cooker for 40 minutes.

Chop the onions and brown them in a drizzle of oil with the garlic cloves and grated ginger. Add the spices and chilli.

Add the tomatoes. Once browned, finally add a glass of water, salt and the beans with their cooking water.

Season with salt and cook for about 10 minutes.

In the end, it is your eyes and your sense of good taste that will be in charge of the final presentation. I suggest using a deep plate. Cover the base with basmati rice and carefully sprinkle with Rajma Masala sauce. Decorate with some fresh mint or coriander leaves. A culinary find - delicious, easy and healthy - for the most travelled palates.