TL;DR: Hearty and spicy kidney bean stew. Indian soul food.
O Rajma, that humble stew of kidney beans, tomatoes, aromatics and spices. It’s comfort food that you find in various regions across India, notably in roadside shacks (“dhabas”) in the North. In my opinion a really great rajma recipe revolves primarily around the texture of the beans and the rich flavor of cooked tomatoes and aromatics. The spices used are meant to complement these elements but not overwhelm them.
In America you tend to see rajma get compared to vegetarian chili quite frequently. It’s basically Indian chili right? Well yes and no. Sure, both rajma and chili are spicy bean and tomato-based stews. Both tend to utilize a similar cross section of ingredients like cumin, garlic, peppers, etc. And I’ve lost count at how many times I’ve been at a chili cookoff and the vegetarian entry is… rajma. However, a great rajma includes ingredients such as ginger, ghee, cardamom, and methi (fenugreek), which you typically won’t find in your standard veggie chilli. Moreover, rajma is more about celebrating the beans and the tomatoes than developing deep umami and complex texture like in a chili.
TOOLS & TIPS: Respect the beans. Instant Pot is your friend. VODKA.
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It’s all about the beans. Kidney beans are an awesome source of fiber and a bunch of minerals and vitamins. However, they are also really high in lectin, which can be very toxic if the beans are eaten raw. Good news is that cooking them reduces the lectin concentration and makes them perfectly safe to eat. With that in mind, make sure to soak and cook the beans thoroughly. I’ve found that soaking beans overnight in salt results in soft yet not blown-out beans when cooked.
And yes, vodka. Not a typo. As it turns out, adding alcohol while cooking (to the food, not your throat) can help enhance the aroma of the dish. For this rajma recipe, just make sure to use a flavorless alcohol (e.g. vodka NOT gin/whiskey/tequila). This really lets the fragrance of the spices loose, which in turn helps the flavor open up. Of course if you don’t consume any alcohol or don’t have vodka around, you can skip this step. *sniff*
THE PROCESS: Prepare beans, roast spices, cook everything.
Get everything together. The vodka is for the rajma recipe, but I’m sure you’ll find other uses as well.
I like to have my spices measured and ready to go.
Heat the ghee, add bay leaves, star anise and cinnamon a sauté until fragrant.
Add half onion (sliced), salt, and cook until browned.
While onions are cooking, roast chiles and spices. Start by dry roasting the chiles on a hot pan. Flip frequently and make sure not to burn them, as they can get bitter. I like roasting chiles separately to ensure that they don’t inadvertently burn.
Then dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, and cardamom until fragrant and lightly browned.
Add chiles, spices, tomatoes, half onion, and ginger to a blender and puree. 
When onions are nicely browned, add garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until lightly browned.
Add tomato puree to pot and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
When tomatoes are reduced and the oils start visibly separating from the mixture, add turmeric and methi and cook for a couple of minutes.
Next, add the beans and water.
If using an Instant Pot, cook for 25 minutes and let the steam naturally release until the floating valve drops. Or if cooking on the stove top, cook for about an hour and check periodically until the beans are soft. Lastly, add vodka and cook for about 5 more minutes and then stir in the cilantro.
Time to eat. Garnish with more cilantro and additionally with sliced chiles and onions for more bite and heat. Eat with rotis, rice, or however you damn well please. Vodka anyone?
Vik Hebbar
Yields 5
Indian soul food! Spicy and hearty rajma masala. This rajma recipe can be made in a pressure cooker or on a regular stove top.
8 hrPrep Time
1 hrCook Time
9 hrTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large onion
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 3 thai chili peppers
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 in ginger
- 4 cardamom
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 dried red chiles
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/8 cup vodka
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse and then soak beans in water overnight or at least for 8 hours.
- Set Instant Pot for "Sauté" or stove top pot over med-high heat, add ghee, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and star anise until fragrant.
- Halve the onion, slice one of the halves and add to pot along with salt and cook until browned. Reserve other half.
- While onions are cooking, roast dried red chiles, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, and cloves until lightly browned and fragrant, then add to blender.
- Peel ginger and add to blender, along with tomatoes, remaining half of onion, and thai chiles. Blend until a smooth puree.
- Finely mince garlic and when onions are browned, add to pot and cook until lightly golden, couple of minutes.
- Add tomato puree and cook until reduced and oil is separating from mixture, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add turmeric and methi and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add beans and water. If using an Instant Pot, set to Beans/Chili and cook for 25 minutes, then letting the steam release naturally until the float valve drops. If using a regular pot on the stove, cook for about an hour or so, checking periodically until beans are cooked through and soft.
- Add vodka and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes, then stir in cilantro and serve.
Notes
Macros per serving: 18 g protein, 37g carbohydrates (13g fiber), 9g fat; 255 calories
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
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