Rajma Chawal (kidney beans and rice) is ubiquitous on Jammu streets and Dhaba’s. But, the most famous version is the one sold on roadside Truckers stop at Peeda, on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, served with a generous dollop of Ghee and a side of Anardana Chutney.
Rajma Chawal is also a Sunday staple in many north Indian households, including my parent’s, and my uncontested comfort food. This is my family recipe, inherited from my mother, who learnt it from her father.
The key to getting the flavor closest to the real thing are
- Keep it simple: More ingredients and spices don’t always result in a better dish – i have learnt this the hard way.
- Use dry, organic kidney beans, preferably the Jammu variety, available in some South Asian stores. However, if you are in a hurry and only have access to other varieties – don’t let that stop you.
- Take the time to fry and mash the boiled kidney beans to create a thicker and more flavorsome curry.
- Don’t skip the ghee! Skip another meal if you have to, run a few extra miles, but do not skip the ghee!
Jammu Ke Rajma (Kidney Beans in a Tomato Curry)
Description
Kidney beans cooked in a rich tomato gravy and served with basmati rice, a generous dollop of ghee and a side of Anardana Chutney.
Ingredients
Method
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In an instant pot, or a stovetop pressure cooker, add washed kidney beans, 1 tsp salt, 3.5 cups of water. Pressure cook using the manual pressure setting, for 40 minutes. Open lid after steam is released. Add 1/2 cup cold water and pressure cook for another 20 minutes. Once done, beans should be soft enough to easily mash when pinched.
You can significantly reduce the cook time by presoaking the dried beans overnight. Soaked beans need about 30 minutes in my 3 qt instant pot. Alternatively, this step can be skipped if you are using canned kidney beans. (Although i don't recommend using canned bean). Increase pressure cooking time if beans are underdone. -
In a heavy bottom pan, heat mustard oil until it smokes. Reduce heat and cool the oil. Add hing and whole spices (Black cardamom and crushed fenugreek seeds)
If you are using mustard oil, bring the oil to smoking point and reduce heat before adding the whole spices. Mustard oil must be brought to smoking point before any other ingredients are added. Other types of oil do not need to be heated to that point. -
Add grated onion and garlic paste and saute for about 1 minute or untill the onion starts to turn translucents. Add dry spices (turmeric and chilli powder), salt. Add splash of water to ensure the spices don’t burn. Sauté till the spices are mixed in.
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Add puréed tomatoes and sauté until the mixture sticks together and oil glistens on the edges.
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Add the kidney beans to the curry base, without the water. Sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, mashing some of the beans (not all).
Reserve the water used for pressure cooking the beans and use in the next step. -
Sprinkle ground dry pomegranate seeds (anardana). Add the water left over form the pressure cooked beans. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add ghee and turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander and serve with hot basmati rice, ghee and anardana chutney.
If you are using canned beans, use 3 cups of warm water. Pomegranate seeds are optional but recommended.