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Rajma masala is made from boiled rajma, finely sliced onions, tomato puree, and a variety of aromatic spices, eventually ending with a dollop of ghee and finely chopped coriander leaves. The process to make Rajma masala at home is very easy. Simply go through my recipe to learn the easy steps if you thought these were really overwhelming.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Rajma masala is a very popular dish of North India.
Serve it with steamed rice, jeera rice, or roti.
Rajma masala tastes mildly spicy, sweet, and creamy.
Other similar recipes are chole, kala chana curry, and dal makhani.

The Ingredients:

To boil the Rajma:

1.5 cups Rajma (soaked overnight)
3 cups water
2 pieces bay leaves
1 pod black cardamom
1 piece cinnamon stick (2-inch size)
½ tsp salt

To make the ginger-garlic paste:

12 cloves garlic (deskinned)
1 piece ginger (3-inch size, cut into small pieces)

To make the powdered spices mixture:

1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
2 tsp coriander powder
Water as required

To make the masala gravy:

1/5 cup mustard oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 pieces onions (medium size, finely chopped)
2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
½ cup tomato puree
1 cup water
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
3 pieces green chilies (slit in the middle, optional)
1 tsp ghee (clarified butter, optional)

This recipe came from a woman I met at the passport office. Our forms got delayed, and while waiting, we began talking. She had packed this dish for her lunch and offered me some. I was touched. She told me how to make it while we all enjoyed every bit and bite of it.

I tried it that weekend. My husband said it was bold, and my sons found it “travel-office tasty.” Now, it is our paperwork lunch. That encounter reminded me that even in government offices filled with queues and files, small food stories unfold and leave bigger impressions than the forms we filled.

How to Make Rajma Masala? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Take 1.5 cups of Rajma in a bowl. Wash it and soak it in water for at least 3 to 4 hours.

(Pro tip: For best results, soak Rajma for 8 to 10 hours, or even overnight).

Step 2: Now, put the soaked Rajma in a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water, 2 pieces of bay leaves, 1 pod of black cardamom, 1 piece of cinnamon stick (2-inch size), and ½ tsp of salt to it. Mix everything nicely. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook it for up to 6 to 7 whistles on a medium flame.

Step 3: While the Rajma is cooking, make the ginger-garlic paste. Take 12 cloves of garlic (deskinned) and 1 piece of ginger (3-inch size, cut into small pieces) in a mortar and pestle and crush them coarsely.

Step 4: Now, remove the pressure cooker, release the pressure, open the lid, and check the doneness. If you can smash them easily with your fingers, remove the whole spices from it.

(Pro tip: The older the Rajma, the longer it will take to cook. So, check it after the 7^th whistle and cook for some time more if needed).

Step 5: Now, to make the masala gravy, heat 1/5 cup of mustard oil in a kadai on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, add 1 tsp of cumin seeds into it. Let it crackle and fry for 20 seconds or so.

Step 6: At this stage, add 5 pieces of finely chopped medium-sized onions into it and fry them until they turn translucent and become golden. Check the doneness.

Step 7: Now, add the crushed ginger and garlic you made earlier. Mix it and cook it along with the onions for half a minute or so.

Step 8: Now, add 2 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix it nicely with the ingredients in the kadai. Fry it for another half a minute.

(Pro tip: Make sure to fry it on a low flame, or else it will burn and become black in color, offering a bitter taste).

Step 9: By this time, make a mixture of the powdered spices comprising 1 tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of cumin seed powder, 2 tsp of coriander powder, and water as required.

(Pro tip: You can add the red chili powder in the mixture, but adding it to the oil with the onions renders a rich taste of the Rajma masala curry).

Step 10: Now, add this mixture of powdered spices into the masala. Mix it well. Cover the kadai and let the masala cook on a low flame for about a couple of minutes.

Step 11: After two minutes, remove the cover and add ½ cup of tomato puree into it. Mix nicely, cover the kadai, and let it cook on a low flame for about 7 to 8 minutes more.

(Pro tip: You can also use two finely chopped tomatoes, but make sure they are cooked until tender and mixed nicely with the onions).

Step 12: Remove the cover after 8 minutes and add a cup of water to the nicely cooked masala and mix well. Cook it for another minute or two.

(Pro tip: You can add half a cup more of water to the masala if you do not want your curry to be too thick. Always use lukewarm water or water at normal room temperature).

Step 13: Now, add the boiled Rajma to it along with the boiled water. Add salt to taste and mix it nicely. Cover and cook it on a low flame for 10 to 12 minutes. Open the lid in between, stir, and check the Rajma for its doneness.

Step 14: When done, add 1 tsp of garam masala powder to it and mix it nicely. Again, cover the kadai and cook it for two more minutes on a low flame.

(Pro tip: Adding garam masala in the end enhances the taste of the dish remarkably).

Step 15: After 2 minutes, remove the cover and check the consistency and doneness.

Step 16: If you are happy with it, add a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves, 3 pieces of green chilies (slit in the middle), and 1 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) to it. Mix them all nicely. Switch off the gas stove, cover the kadai, and let it set for about two minutes.

(Pro tip: Both green chilies and ghee are optional, but they work wonderfully well to take the taste of the dish up by one level).

Step 17: Your tasty and spicy homemade Rajma masala is now ready to eat. Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy with steamed rice, hot jeera rice, or roti.