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Homestyle Rajma Masala
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Ingredients
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Method
4 steps
- 1
If using dried beans: simmer 2½ cups soaked overnight kidney beans in fresh water until tender, 45–60 minutes; reserve cooking liquid. Scoop out ½ cup cooked beans and mash coarsely; set aside. If using canned: rinse 3 cans (15 oz each), mash ½ cup, keep the rest whole. Soft beans that squash easily are the goal — chalky centers mean keep simmering.
- 2
Blend 1 roughly chopped medium onion with grated ginger, chopped green chiles, dried red chile or cayenne, cumin, turmeric, peppercorns, and cinnamon (from the ingredient list) with a splash of water until smooth. Heat 3 tablespoons ghee or oil in a wide pot over medium-high. Sauté 2 finely chopped medium onions until deep golden, 10–12 minutes.
- 3
Add the paste and cook, stirring and adding tiny splashes of water as needed, until the fat starts to separate and the raw smell is gone, 8–10 minutes — this long cook is what makes homestyle rajma taste rich, not raw-spice.
- 4
Stir in the whole cooked beans, salt to taste, and 1–2 teaspoons amchur (or 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice). Add about 3 cups water or bean cooking liquid plus the mashed beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15–20 minutes until the gravy is thick and glossy and coats the beans. Adjust salt and tang. Serve hot over rice or with roti. You want creamy, tender kidney beans in a thick onion-spice gravy — not firm undercooked beans or thin watery broth.