Cook beans really soft
Acidic tomatoes first come to fully gardened beans. In sour sauce, solid beans become soft only very slowly.
Indian Recipe
Rajma Masala
Dried kidney beans are soaked and cooked completely softly before moving on in a concentrated onion-tomato masala. Crushed beans bind the sauce without flour.
Total time
10 hr
Calories
440 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Why this recipe works
Creamy Kidney Bean Curry from North India
Rajma Masala does not live from many ingredients, but from soft beans and a carefully boiled Masala base. Kidney beans should be easily crushed between two fingers before they come to the tomatoes. With basmati rice, Rajma Chawal, a filling everyday dish that can be prepared very well the day before.
Vegetarian Dinners
Lunch
Dinner
Rice
Recipe
Rajma Masala
Rajma Masala is a North Indian bean curry made from red kidney beans, tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and warm spices.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Soak beans
Read Kidney beans, rinse and soak for 8 to 12 hours with plenty of cold water. Drain soak water completely and rinse the beans again.
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2
Cooking Kidney Beans Safe
Cover beans with fresh water, cook vigorously for 10 minutes and cook gently for 60 to 80 minutes. They must be completely soft; do not use hard beans.
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3
Roast onion base
Heat ghee in a wide pot. Let cumin blossom for 30 seconds, add onions and fry deep golden brown for 10 to 12 minutes at medium heat.
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4
Boil Masala
Fry ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, coriander, chilli, turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the mass becomes thick and fat is visible on the edge.
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5
Leave the beans in the sauce
Add boiled beans with 350 ml of bean boiling water to the Masala. Squeeze a kelle of beans at the edge of the pot and simmer all open for 20 minutes.
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6
Flavour and let rest
Stir in Garam Masala and Kasuri Methi. Balance with lemon juice and remaining salt, add some cooking water if necessary and let the curry rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Rajma Masala
Pick up cooking water
The starchy bean water binds the sauce better than clear water. Gradually add to make Rajma creamy and not soupy.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Drain three cans of Kidney beans and rinse. Place with 300 ml of water in the finished Masala and simmer for 25 minutes; the long soaking and cooking time does not apply.
Serve Rajma with loose basmati rice, red onions and a spoonful of natural yoghurt. About 280 g of uncooked rice is sufficient for four portions.
Nutrition per serving
440kcal
64.0 gCarbohydrates
20.0 gProtein
11.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Rajma Masala
Fresh cooking water improves the taste and removes some of the substances that have been transferred to the soaking water. The beans are then fully boiled.
A bean must be crushed between thumb and index finger without a solid core. If it remains grainy or hard, it needs more cooking time.
Slice a small portion of beans in the sauce and let the curry continue to simmer without a lid. The released starch ensures the typical velvety consistency.
Yes. Spices and beans combine particularly well overnight. Keep cool, heat slowly the next day and add some water if necessary.
Small dark red Rajma beans are often used in India. Common red kidney beans also work, but require different lengths of cooking depending on age.
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