Rajma Chawal - Punjabi Cuisine

Rajma Chawal (rajma means kidney beans, Chawal means rice) is one of the most popular dishes of North India, especially in Delhi and Punjab. It was a spicy, yummy and filling dish. These spices like cardamom, clove or cinnamon which are usually used in abundance in any kind of pulao. Lentils and grains have always been one of my favorites, especially Rajma Chawal. I love such healthy nutritious meals where just one dish is enough to go with rice and a side-salad. A healthy one pot meal that can be packed for lunch box too for people of any age.

Prep Time	Cooking time	Serves
30 mins	20 mins	2 persons

Recipe type:  Rice varieties

Cuisine:  Indian cuisine

Ingredients Basmati rice  - 1 cup Red kidney beans  - ½  cup (wash and soak for 8 hours) Water -1 ¾  cup Onion -1 no large Ginger garlic paste -2 tsp Turmeric powder -1 pinch Red chili powder – 1 tbsp. Tomatoes -2 large Garam masala - ¼ tsp Cumin powder -1/2 tsp To Grind Pudina leaves -few sprigs Green chilli -2 nos Coriander leaves -2 sprigs Seasonings Ghee /oil - 1 ½ tbsp. Fennel seeds  -1 tsp Bay leaf – 1 no Whole garam spices –few

Method

1.Wash the kidney beans and soak in water overnight. Take one cup of rice and soak it in water for 30 mins.

2. Cut all the items necessary for Rajma Chawal and grind the ingredients.Keep it aside.

3. Heat ghee/oil in a cooking vessel and add oil, fennel seeds and let them brown. 

4. Now sauté the bay leaf along with the whole garam spices .add in onion, ginger garlic paste, green chilli.

5. Fry till onions are translucent   and sauté until golden brown sprinkling water occasionally.

6. Add the tomatoes and cook till oil /ghee separates. 

7. Sprinkle some chopped mint leaves with red chili pwd, turmeric pwd, cumin pwd and salt.

8.Add the cooked whole beans along with the residue water left while pressure cooking it. Cover and cook for 3 mins.

9.Add garam masala and cook till required gravy consistency. Check the water level content and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serving suggestions

Steamed rice

Jeera rice,

Chapattis or Phulkas

Notes

1. Add many more veggies to make it healthy. 

2. Actually it comes out very well without inserting gram or rice flour.

3. Generally they say that rajma which is full of Potassium, Magnesium, and Iron & Protein, is a good meat substitute for vegetarians.