Mummy ke haath ka khana is definitely the best thing in the world, agreed? There’s nothing that can top it. The aloo parathas, pav bhaji and especially that insanely delicious rajma chawal. Oh, yeah, that’s the shiz! What if we told you, that you can now cook rajma chawal pretty close to the one mommy makes? Yep, Vidhi Doshi a.k.a @RamenHairedGirl shares the easiest Rajma recipe that’s gonna make look like a total pro, one that every mom will approve of.
What You’ll Need
- 150 grams rajma
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 4 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 green chili
- 1-inch piece of ginger
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 large or 3 medium onions, very finely chopped or grated
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 4 tomatoes, pureed or grated
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Cooking soda (optional)
Here’s How You Put It All Together
Step 1
Wash the rajma thoroughly and soak it for 8 hours or overnight.
Step 2
Drain the water and add the soaked rajma with 2 cups of water, salt to taste, a pinch of cooking soda and cinnamon and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure drop naturally before opening the lid of the cooker.
Step 3
Meanwhile, crush the green chili, ginger, and garlic with a mortar and pestle to form a coarse paste. Keep it aside. Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan, add the cardamom pods, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds till they start crackling.
Step 4
Add the onions, mix well and saute on a slow, medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes till the rawness of the onions go away and they slightly change their colour to brown. Do not let them burn.
Step 5
Now add the masalas: chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and salt, mix well and saute for 1 minute. Keep mixing it frequently so that the masalas do not burn.
Step 6
Now add the tomatoes, mix well and cover and cook for 10 minutes, while stirring occasionally or till the tomatoes begin to excrete ghee.
Step 7
Open the pressure cooker, add the tomato masala to the rajma, mix well, adjust the seasoning and pressure cook again for 2 whistles. Let the pressure drop naturally before opening the lid of the cooker.
Step 8
After opening the lid, turn the flame on again and cook the rajma in the pressure cooker, without the lid. Add the garam masala, mix well and cook for 2 more minutes. Mash the rajma lightly with a potato masher to get a thicker gravy. Serve hot with rice and a little coriander!
So, try this out at home, and let mommy be the judge of how brilliant it turned out. Tell us her verdict in the comments below.
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