Rajma Chawal – Punjabi Special Comfort Food – One-Pot Meal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Kashmiri Rajma (kidney beans)
• 1/2 cup Tomato puree
• 1 Finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp Ginger-green chili paste
• 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Punjabi masala
• 2 tsp Ghee
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1/4 tsp Baking soda
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp Coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• to taste Salt
• as required Water
• fresh coriander leaves
• 1 pinch Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• as required to steam plain rice Water

Steps

1. Soak the rajma in water overnight. In the morning, wash it thoroughly twice. Add baking soda to the pressure cooker and cook for 6 whistles.
2. Place a pan (kadhai) on the stove over a low flame and add ghee and oil. Add jeera, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, and asafoetida.
3. Add the chopped onions and cook well. Add the ginger, chili, and garlic paste; mix thoroughly and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato puree.
4. Mix well. Once the mixture begins to thicken, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander-cumin powder, Punjabi masala, and salt; mix well and add water as needed.
5. Remove the kidney beans (rajma) from the pressure cooker and drain the water. Add the beans to the pan, mix well, cover with a lid, and cook for a short while. Finally, stir in lemon juice, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), and fresh coriander leaves. The rajma is ready.
6. Soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. And cook in a pressure cooker till 2 whistles blow. Chawal is ready.
7. Serve the rajma with piping hot plain steamed rice and enjoy the meal. I have served it with onion rings (lachha pyaz), pickle, and roasted papad.