How To Make Rajma Chawal - Rajma Chawal Recipe

How To Make Rajma Chawal - Rajma Chawal Recipe 

Rajma chawal is a traditional Punjabi dish and a popular street food of kidney beans and rice. Rajma Chawal are very tasty and easy dish for lunch or dinner.

It is a favourite dish of all childrens or adults. The process of making Rajma Chawal is very easy. 

 Ingredients for making the Rice/Chawal

2 tbsp oil

1.5 cups rice

3 cups water. it is always double the quantity of rice

1 sliced onion

1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

2 bay leaves, 1 black cardamom, slightly crushed, 3-4 coves and a small stick of cinnamon

1.5 tsp salt. we have used rock salt as it is a healthier option

Ingredients to make rajma/kidney beans curry

1 cup rajma/kidney beans soaked in water overnight

2 tomatoes, chopped into small pieces

1-2 tbsp oil

1-inch ginger crushed and 1 green chilli chopped

10-12 cloves of garlic

2 onions, sliced thin

1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves

1/2 tsp deghi mirch/red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1.2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp salt. 

Process of making Rajma Chawal

Prepare the rajma or kidney beans curry first. It is a one pot dish this is a very simple recipe in which the spices do not need to be ground at all 

Add all the ingredients and cook together

Add the kidney beans without the water, add sliced onions, chopped tomatoes, ginger & green chilli

Add garlic cloves, garam masala, turmeric powder and deghi mirch. 

Use this instead of red chilli powder as it imparts a dark red color to the gravy

Add rock salt. this is healthier than salt as it is unprocessed,Coriander powder

Add about 2 tbsp oil and 1 cup water

Stir until everything combines

keep heat on high and put the lid

At the first whistle reduce heat to low and cook for another 5 minutes

After 5 minutes put off the heat and open the cooker when the pressure subsides

Pressure out check the kidney beans

All the spices are soft and the kidney beans too have softened

If the water in it needs to be dried

Keep heat on high and stir till the extra water dries up

When the extra water has dried up and the spices combined  to form a thick paste

Add the dry fenugreek leaves and roast the kidney beans for 10 minutes

After 10 minutes of roasting the kidney beans with the spices 

Add 1 liter water and keep heat on medium

Stir and mix well

Close the pressure cooker and let it blow the first whistle

While the kidney beans are cooking prepare the rice. keep a wok on the adjacent burner

Presoak the rice for 30 minutes prior to cooking

Keep heat on medium and add 2 tbsp oil

When oil is hot add the onions and saute till they turn light pink

Add the spices, cumin seeds,bay leaves, black cardamom, cloves and cinnamon

Saute until the onions turn brown. keep heat on medium

Keep stirring for even browning and prevent the spices from burning

You can cook both the dishes - the kidney beans and the rice simultaneously to save time

When the pressure cooker whistle blows reduce the heat to low and now let the kidney beans cook for 15 minutes more

Carry on sauteing the onions till the onions turn golden brown 

Browning the onions as you wish to impart a brownish color to the rice. if you wish to keep the rice white do not brown the onions

Add about 1/4 cup water so that the brown color of the onions leaches into it

Stir well and add 1.5 tsp salt

Salt quantity is always as many tsp as cups of rice taken

Stir to mix and then add the soaked and drained rice

mix well

Add 3 cups of water and give a good stir. keep heat on high and let the water come to a boil

Once the water starts to boil cover with a lid and reduce heat to low

Cook till all the water dries up. the rice should take 15 minutes to cook. check a few times in between to check the rice

After 15 minutes put off the heat and let the pressure ease down

After 15 minutes all the water has dried up and the rice are cooked as well

Put off the heat and cover the rice. let it sit for 5 minutes

Open the pressure cooker once the pressure is out

Check the kidney beans are well cooked. If the gravy is a bit thin you will dry out some water by heating the rajma curry

You will heat it on high heat for 5 minutes. you may adjust the time as per your requirement

Keep stirring occasionally

Your rajma curry is ready. put off the heat and take it off the burner

Both the dishes - the rice as well as the rajma - are ready. time to serve them

kidney beans poured over the rice. This is the way we usually serve them - at home as well as when it is served as a street food.

Here is our dish of the day - rajma chawal made punjabi style. Do try it and give your feedback

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