Rajma curry, one of India's most popular and flavorful dishes, is prepared with rich, aromatic spiced onion and tomato-based gravy. This comforting, protein-packed dish pairs perfectly with rice, roti, or paratha making it a versatile and wholesome choice for any meal.

About rajma
Rajma, or kidney beans, are a type of legume named for their distinctive kidney-like shape. They come in various colors, including red, white, and black. In Hindi, red kidney beans are known as rajma.
These dried red beans are usually prepared in a spicy, flavorful curry made from onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and various aromatic spices.
This Rajma curry recipe is prepared in a pressure cooker as it cooks kidney beans faster and more efficiently.
Ingredients
To make rajma curry masala, you need the following items:
- Rajma - I use red dried kidney beans.
- Curry base - Onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes to make curried rajma.
- Spices - Rajma masala, salt, turmeric, chili, garam masala, bay leaf, cloves, black cardamom, and cinnamon. While rajma masala is not essential, using it significantly enhances the flavor of the dish
- Coriander - Optional -for garnishing.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make rajma curry?
You can find this easy Indian rajma masala recipe video below, but here is a step-by-step guide to making dried red kidney beans in a pressure cooker:
Step-1 Soak rajma
The foremost step to making an authentic rajma recipe is to soak red beans in water. For this rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. Place them in a large bowl and fill with plenty of water. Allow them to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Step-2 Cook kidney beans
Drain and rinse with water before cooking them. Add whole peeled onions, garlic, spices, and water with rajma into a pressure cooker. Cook it for 10-15 minutes at low-medium heat or 3-4 whistles of cooker.
I prefer cooking onions and garlic with rajma to infuse them with aromatic flavors, which is essential for the Punjabi curry base.
Step-3 Curry preparation
To check if the rajma beans are cooked, try cutting them with a spoon. Cooked rajma can be easily cut or pressed with a spoon. If the beans are still hard, continue cooking them. Once the rajma is fully cooked, remove the onions and garlic from the cooker and set them aside.
Heat oil in a wok and add cumin seeds until they become aromatic. Stir in the onions and garlic and fry for 5 minutes. Next, add grated ginger, salt, turmeric, chilli, garam masala, and rajma masala, and continue frying for a few more minutes.
Add the tomato puree and cook for a few more minutes until the curry base (masala) thickens and comes together. Then, mix in the rajma with the water from the cooker. Allow it to simmer and boil for a few minutes.
Optional- Add two teaspoons of ghee while simmering. It gives a deep, buttery aroma with a slightly nutty taste.
Garnish curried beans with chopped coriander for a refreshing herby flavor!
Serving suggestions
- This red bean curry is often enjoyed with steamed white rice, a combination famously known as rajma chawal, which is a comfort food staple for almost every North Indian!
- Flaky parathas or plain parathas also complement well with rajma.
- With rajma and rice, crunchy raita boondi, or refreshing cucumber raita is served to balance the dish’s rich, spicy, and tangy flavors with its cool, creamy texture.
- Crispy papad/papadums and tangy pickles add texture and zest.
FAQs
Rajma should be soaked for at least 8 hours or overnight to soften the beans and reduce cooking time.
If you want a quicker method, use a pressure cooker/instant pot to cook rajma beans. T
For unsoaked beans- Cook them on medium heat for 50-60 minutes in a pressure cooker.
For Soaked beans - Cook them on medium heat for 10–15 minutes using a pressure cooker.
I use 4 cups of water per 1 cup of red beans for pressure cooking.
Place beans in a pot with water (about 3–4 cups per 1 cup of beans).
Bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let them sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Tips
- Cook rajma in a pressure cooker, it cooks faster and ensures soft and creamy beans.
- Always soak kidney beans overnight for better texture and faster cooking.
- Add warm water if the curry is thickened.
- Don't skip spices. These are the main elements of rajma that enhance their flavor and aroma.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Rajma Curry
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rajma/ red kidney beans
- 3 Onions
- 8-10 Garlic cloves
- 3 Tomatoes
- 2 inch Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 Cinnamom stick
- 1-2 Black cardamoms
- 2-3 Cloves
- 2 tablespoon Rajma masala (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Chilli
- 1 tablespoon Garam masala
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 teaspoon Ghee (Optional)
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
- Soak red beans in water overnight.
- In a pressure cooker, add peeled whole onions, garlic, rajma, water, and spices.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the cooker blows 3 whistles on medium heat.
- Once the rajma is cooked, remove the onions and garlic from the cooker.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Stir in the onions and garlic that were cooked with the rajma. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add grated ginger, salt, chili, turmeric, garam masala, and rajma masala. Fry the masala on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and cook until the oil separates from the mixture.
- Mix in the cooked kidney beans and water. Let the curry simmer for 10 minutes
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or roti!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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