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Rajma Chawal (Kidney Bean Curry)
5 from 2 votes

Rajma Chawal (Kidney Bean Curry)

A simple, nutritious vegan curry. Full of flavour and goodness.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 220 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Using dried kidney Beans
  • 1 cup Kidney Beans dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 cardamom pods (lightly bruised to open up)
  • 6 cups water
Using canned kidney beans
  • 2 kidney bean 15oz x 2, canned
For the rajma masala sauce
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inches)
  • 1 tsp ginger (minced)
  • 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
  • 1 onion (pureed)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Coriander
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • ½ tsp curry powder
  • ¾ cup tomato passata
  • ½ cup PLAIN yogurt
  • ½ cup water
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Garnishes
  • 1 cilantro optional, small bunch
  • fresh chilli optional, red onion sliced
  • red onion optional, red onion sliced
  • yoghurt optional, to drizzle

Instructions

To cook the kidney beans
    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse the dried beans and then tip into a pan. Cover with 6 cups water and then add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook gently for 1½-2 hours or until the beans are soft and creamy.
  2. Pick out the beat leaf and cardamom and drain the beans. Retain about 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside until you need it.
To use canned kidney beans
  1. Open cans and keep in their liquid. Set aside until you need them.
To make the rajma masala sauce
  1. In a large saucepan or wok, heat the oil over a medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the fennel seeds and cinnamon stick and sizzle for 10 seconds before adding the ginger and garlic.Let this sizzle gently for 1 minute before adding the pureed onion.
  2. Stir fry the onion for 4-5 minutes until browned and most of the water from it has evaportated.
  3. Add the ground spices and stir into the onion paste then add the tomato passata, yoghurt and then ½ cup water. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced into a thickish paste-like sauce.
  5. Add your cooked beans or canned beans and stir in well. If you're using your own cooked beans, add about 1 cup of the cooking liquid to create a thinner, creamy sauce. If you're using canned beans, add the whole cans, liquid and all. You might need to add a little water for think things out a little, not more than ½ cup.
  6. Season well with salt and pepper and cook gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the fenugreek leaves. Tip: rub the leaves between your palms to make a powder (MORE FLAVOUR!).That's it, you're done!
  7. Serve with lots of fluffy basmati rice.
  8. Garnish your rajma chawal as you like, I like to sprinkle a little more fenugreek leaves, thin red onion slices, chilli slices, cilantro and a little drizzle of yoghurt that I thin out with a touch of milk.

Notes

  • Refrigeration - rajma will stay fresh in the fridge for a week when stored in an airtight container.
  • Freezing - rajma freezes excellently. Portion into single serves in airtight containers or thick freezer bags. Cook from frozen until piping hot. I also like to add about 1⁄4 cup of water before cooking to avoid the rajma from drying out.
  • As with ANY food, I love to make it look more appealing. We eat with our eyes, so garnishing a dish can really make a difference. I like to add an extra scattering of the dried fenugreek leaves, a scattering of fresh cilantro, thinly sliced red onion and some sliced fresh red chilli. Use whatever garnishes you prefer!

Nutrition Information

Calories 220kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.2g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g (3%) Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g (2%) Trans Fat 0.003g (0%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 60mg (3%) Potassium 1004mg (21%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 937IU (19%) Vitamin C 11mg (12%) Calcium 132mg (13%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 220

% Daily Value*

Calories 220kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Trans Fat 0.003g 0%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 60mg 3%
Potassium 1004mg 21%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 937IU 19%
Vitamin C 11mg 12%
Calcium 132mg 13%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.