Punjabi Rajma

Ingredients

• dried red kidney beans250 g, soaked overnight
• yellow onions2 medium, finely chopped
• tomatoes4 medium, pureed
• fresh ginger3 cm piece, grated
• garlic6 cloves, minced
• green chiles2, slit
• cumin seeds1 tsp
• bay leaf1
• cinnamon stick1, 3 cm
• black cardamom pod1
• cloves3
• turmeric1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri chile powder1 tsp
• coriander powder2 tsp
• cumin powder1 tsp
• garam masala1 tsp
• dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)1 tbsp
• neutral oil3 tbsp
• saltto taste
• water1.2 L
• fresh coriandera small handful, chopped

Steps

1. 1

   Pressure-cook the soaked beans.

   Drain the soaked beans and pressure-cook with fresh water, a pinch of salt, and the black cardamom until they crush easily between two fingers.

2. 2

   Warm oil and crackle spices.

   Warm the oil in a heavy pan and crackle the cumin seeds with the bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves until fragrant.

3. 3

   Sweat the onion until golden.

   Sweat the onion until deeply golden — patience here matters; this is the backbone of the gravy.

4. 4

   Add ginger, garlic, chiles, and spices.

   Stir in the ginger, garlic, and slit green chiles, then add the tomato puree, turmeric, Kashmiri chile, coriander powder, and cumin powder.

5. 5

   Cook masala until oil pools.

   Cook the masala down until the oil pools at the edges and the puree darkens to a brick-red paste.

6. 6

   Simmer beans with gravy.

   Tip in the cooked beans with their reserved liquid, top up with water to a loose gravy consistency, and simmer uncovered to marry the flavors.

7. 7

   Finish with garam masala and herbs.

   Finish with garam masala, crumble in the kasuri methi between your palms, and scatter fresh coriander before serving with steamed basmati.