Should I use dried kidney beans or canned?
As a busy mum, my preference is always to use canned kidney beans for this dish. I’m not snobbish about tins of basic items — they’re convenient and economical. Buy the best you can afford and don’t worry about cheating because you cannot tell the difference between canned and dried in the finished dish. Canned beans take Rajma from a plan-ahead meal, to a last-minute weeknight comfort bowl. What’s not to love about that?
How to make Rajma from dried kidney beans
Although canned beans are my favourite, you can of course use dried beans to make Rajma. If you prefer to cook your beans from scratch, soak 300g kidney beans in water for 24 hours. Drain and cook in at least 2L fresh water (do not add salt). Pressure cook for 30 minutes until the beans are tender. Reserve the cooking liquor for adding to the Rajma later.
Why do you use the cooking liquor in the sauce?
The best tip I can give you for a perfect Rajma sauce is to reserve the cooking liquor or juice for the can of beans. Not only are the liquids full of goodness, they also give the final curry a silky, creamy finish without adding additional cream. The bean liquid is known as aquafaba can also be used for making vegan meringues in the absence of egg whites, along with a whole host of other desserts. It’s full of protein and starch which is a welcome ingredient in creamy curries, soups and stews.
Things to consider when using bean liquid from a can
It’s always a good idea to check if the canned beans are in water or brine. If the beans are cooked in brine, remember to reduce the amount of salt you add to the Rajma. I don’t recommend using the canned beans in tomato or chilli sauce for this dish.
How to serve Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)
Rajma is most commonly served with plain white rice (known as Rajma-Chawal in Hindi). You could also substitute white rice with brown rice if you prefer. Papad or poppadoms are also a popular accompaniment to Rajma but I won’t tell if you cook up some roti or naan to scoop up those tender beans. No North Indian meal is complete without some sliced onions and green chillies on the side, so make sure you have plenty of those to hand, too. Wash it all down with lemon-lime soda or lassi.
Can I make this Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry) vegan?
Absolutely. Skip the butter for a hearty vegan meal that pairs perfectly with rice.
Ingredients you’ll need to make Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)
Tinned/canned kidney beans in water or brineOil (any flavourless with a high smoke point)OnionsWaterButterCumin seedsAsafoetida (optional)Ajwain (carom seeds)Green chillies (fresh)ClovesGingerGarlicDouble concentrated tomato pureeTurmericGreen cardamomBlack cardamomKashmiri red chilli powderKasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)Garam masalaLemon juiceSaltSugar
Pin it for later!
If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Shahi Paneer
Share this recipe
To serve: Wash white basmati rice in cold water 3-4 times until the water is no longer cloudy. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Boil the rice in plenty of salted water (as if you are boiling pasta). Add a stick of cinnamon and star anise to the water for added flavour (optional). A slice of lemon in the water will also keep your rice a beautiful white colour.
