Rajma – Punjabi Kidney Bean Curry

1 Where Rajma Comes From

Rajma belongs to Punjab and the wider north of the Indian subcontinent, particularly Jammu, where the beans grown in the Bhaderwah valley are prized enough to be sold by name. The bean itself is a relative newcomer. Kidney beans are native to Mesoamerica and arrived in India with Portuguese traders in the sixteenth century, landing on the western coast before travelling north. So the technique is old and the ingredient is comparatively new — the beans were simply folded into a way of cooking pulses that already existed.

The Bombay connection comes later. Partition sent enormous numbers of Punjabis south and east, and their food travelled with them, onto the menus of Bombay’s Irani cafés as well as into Punjabi home kitchens across the city. A rajma on a Bombay café menu is a Punjabi dish that moved and stayed, which is a large part of why it turns up in the Dishoom repertoire.

One thing worth clearing up: rajma is a vegetarian dish, but it is not a dish from a vegetarian culture. Punjab is one of the less vegetarian regions of India — tandoori chicken and butter chicken are both Punjabi restaurant inventions. Rajma sits alongside the meat rather than standing in for it. It is also exactly the sort of thing served at langar, the free communal kitchen at every gurdwara, which is vegetarian so that anyone at all can sit down and eat. Big pot, feeds hundreds, only improves overnight.

2 The Twist in My Version

Traditionally you would use dried kidney beans, soaked overnight. I have always used tinned, and I have never felt the dish suffered for it. The recipe below is written for tinned beans, but please read the notes in the FAQs  further down if you would rather soak your own. Recently I have been buying organic kidney beans from Wylde Market, which are noticeably better than supermarket tins.

The part I would not shortcut is the onion masala. I make mine the way Dishoom do in From Bombay With Love, and the twenty-odd minutes of slow caramelising is what separates a good rajma from a flat one. If you genuinely do not have the time, caramelise the onions on their own, add them after frying off the whole spices, and put the tomatoes in with the beans. Better still, make the masala in advance. I always make a larger batch, because it keeps for a week in the fridge, freezes well, and works as the base for a whole range of other curries.

3 The Finishing Touches That Matter

Two things at the end do most of the work. The first is kasoori methi — dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your palms as you drop them in. It gives that savoury, slightly bitter background note that you notice immediately if it is missing. The second is something sour to lift the whole thing: a squeeze of lime, or a pinch of amchur if you have it. After that, chopped coriander, a little julienned ginger if you are feeling neat about it, and a knob of butter stirred through at the end.

4 Ingredient Notes

• Kidney beans — use the liquid from the tin as well as the beans. It carries starch and helps thicken the gravy.
• Black cardamom — not the same as green. It is smoky and resinous, and it is the reason rajma has that faint barbecue note. Crack it open before it goes in, I blitz mine in the blender
• Kasoori methi — sold by any Indian grocer. A bag lasts a year and improves a great many things.
• Onion masala — the batch below makes roughly double what this recipe needs. That is deliberate.

5 What to Serve With Rajma

Plain basmati rice, and not much else — rajma chawal is the pairing, and Punjab being wheat country, the rice is what marks it out. Sliced raw onion, a pickle and a bowl of yoghurt on the side finish it. It also holds its own as one dish among several on a bigger Indian table, which is how I first served it. As a side it goes well with most curries and tandoor or grilled cooked meats. I often serve with spiced lamb chops.

6 Storing and Freezing

Rajma keeps for three days in the fridge and is better on the second day than the first. It freezes for up to three months. It thickens a great deal as it sits, so reheat gently with a splash of water and check the seasoning before serving.

7 Frequently Asked Questions

What is rajma?

Rajma is a north Indian curry of red kidney beans simmered in a spiced onion and tomato base. It is a Punjabi staple, eaten most often with plain rice — the pairing is so fixed that the two words run together as rajma chawal. The name simply means kidney bean.

Is rajma the same as chilli con carne?

No, although the kidney beans confuse people. Chilli is a Mexican-American dish built on chilli, cumin and usually beef. Rajma has no meat, and its flavour comes from whole spices bloomed in hot fat and a long-cooked onion masala. The two taste nothing alike.

Can I use dried kidney beans instead of tinned?

Yes, and traditionally you would. Soak 150g (5oz) of dried beans overnight, then boil them hard for at least ten minutes before simmering until soft, which takes around an hour. Keep the cooking liquid — you will need it in place of the liquid from the tin.

Do dried kidney beans need to be boiled hard first?

Yes, and this matters. Raw and undercooked red kidney beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, a lectin that causes severe stomach upset. A full rolling boil for ten minutes destroys it. Slow-cooking alone does not reach a high enough temperature, so never put dried kidney beans straight into a slow cooker. Tinned beans are already cooked and need no boiling.

What is onion masala and can I make it ahead?

Onion masala is a base of onions caramelised slowly, then cooked down with garlic, ginger, tomato and ground spices until the oil separates. It is the backbone of a great many Indian restaurant curries. It keeps in the fridge for a week and freezes well, so it is worth making a double batch.

Do I really need kasoori methi?

If you can find it I  would not skip. Kasoori methi is dried fenugreek leaf, and crushed between the palms and stirred in at the end, it gives the savoury, faintly bitter note that makes rajma taste like rajma rather than a generic bean curry. Any Indian grocer sells it, and a bag lasts a year.

Is rajma vegetarian or vegan?

It is vegetarian as written. To make it vegan, leave out the finishing butter or replace it with a little more oil, and skip the yoghurt on the side. Nothing else in the recipe needs changing.

What do you serve with rajma?

Plain basmati rice is the classic partner, with sliced raw onion, a pickle and a bowl of yoghurt alongside. It also works as one dish among several on an Indian table, where it sits happily next to a butter chicken or a plate of spiced potatoes.

Why is my rajma thin?

It has not been simmered long enough, or the beans are still too firm to break down. Give it another ten minutes uncovered, and mash a spoonful of beans against the side of the pan. That released starch is what thickens the gravy — there is no flour or cream in it.

Is rajma spicy?

As written, it is warm rather than fiery a nice background heat that builds slowly, with the heat coming from chilli powder in the masala. Increase or reduce it to taste, or add a slit green chilli with the whole spices if you want a sharper, fresher heat.

How long does rajma keep, and can I freeze it?

It keeps for three days in the fridge and is arguably better on the second day. It freezes well for up to three months. Defrost fully and reheat gently, adding a splash of water, as it thickens considerably on standing.