• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Raks Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe index
  • Lunch ideas
  • About Me
  • Amazon Store
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe index
    • Lunch ideas
    • About Me
    • Amazon Store
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Accompaniments

    Rajma masala recipe, red kidney beans curry

    Updated on June 19, 2022 by Raks Anand 73 Comments / Jump to Recipe

    Rajma masala recipe with step by step pictures - Your search for perfect recipe ends here. Let's see the secret for a scrumptious home style Rajma masala.

    Rajma masala recipe
    Rajma masala

    Rajma masala is an Indian curry with spices in which red kidney beans are slow cooked for a delicious gravy.

    Goes well with all Indian flatbreads and cooked rice (Rajma chawal).

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recipe card

    Ingredients

    Rajma - Red kidney beans

    For delicious rajma masala, rajma must be cooked soft and for long time in the gravy to absorb the taste.

    There are different types of Rajma available at the groceries. How to choose the right one?

    Red kidney bean - Choose Rajma that is reddish in colour not deep red that looks almost black. Because the black one never gets soft cooked how much ever time you cook!

    Other than this, there is light coloured rajma with speckles (lines) and dark coloured rajma, similar with speckles. These gets cooked well too.

    There is also white rajma called Cannellini beans that I have posted sundal with.

    For the curry base, it is onion and tomato cooked along with green chilli and red chilli powder for spice and garam masala, whole spices, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder & fresh leaves for flavors.

    rajma masala recipe

    Instructions

    1. Wash and soak Rajma firstly for 10-12 hours (overnight) and drain the water.

    After that, pressure cook for 4-5 whistles, with salt and enough water to immerse the rajma completely.

    Once done, set aside with the water.

    pressure cook

    2. Meanwhile, chop onions and tomatoes finely.

    Then, in a kadai/ pan, heat oil and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and Indian bay leaf.

    After that, add the chopped onion. Fry till golden and soft, so that as it blended in the gravy as you simmer later.

    temper

    3. Add ginger garlic paste and give it a fry for a minute.

    Then add chopped tomatoes, slit green chillies. Mix well.

    stir fry

    4. Following that, add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and dhaniya powder.

    Add kasoori methi crushed in between your hands.

    Continue by cooking in medium flame for 5-7 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

    saute

    5. Finally, add the rajama and the reserved water and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust water if needed.

    Cook
    Simmer

    6. And lastly add cream (optional) and mix well. Simmer for couple of minutes and switch off flame.

    Garnish with lots of coriander leaves (I did not add).

    ready

    Though it goes well with steamed basmati rice or roti, my choice is to have it with rice the best😀.

    rajma masala recipe
    Best Rajma masala

    Recipe card

    Rajma masala recipe
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes

    Rajma masala recipe

    Rajma masala recipe with step by step pictures - Your search for perfect recipe ends here. Let's see the secret for a scrumptious home style Rajma masala.
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Indian
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 38 minutes minutes
    Soaking time 10 hours hours
    Servings 4 people
    Cup measurements

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Rajma red kidney beans
    • 2 Onion
    • 3 Tomato
    • 2 Green chilli
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
    • 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi
    • 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
    • ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
    • 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds powder Dhaniya powder
    • 3 tablespoon Cooking cream You can skip if you don't want
    • Salt

    To temper

    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • ½ inch Cinnamon
    • 1 Cardamom
    • 1 Clove
    • 1 Indian bay leaf
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Wash and soak Rajma firstly for 10-12 hours (overnight) and drain the water.
    • After that, pressure cook for 4-5 whistles, with salt and enough water to immerse the rajma completely.
    • Once done, set aside with the water.
    • Meanwhile, chop onions and tomatoes finely.
    • Then, in a kadai/ pan, heat oil and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and Indian bay leaf.
    • After that, add the chopped onion. Fry till golden.
    • Add ginger garlic paste and give it a fry for a minute.
    • Then add chopped tomatoes, slit green chillies. Mix well.
    • Following that, add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and dhaniya powder.
    • Add kasoori methi crushed in between your hands.
    • Continue by cooking in medium flame for 5-7 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
    • Finally, add the rajama and the reserved water and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust water if needed.
    • And lastly add cream and mix well. Simmer for couple of minutes and switch off flame.
    • Garnish with lots of coriander leaves.

    Notes

    • As I said before, choose red rajma or any variety with straeks that gets cooked easily. not the deep red (blackish red).
    • Cook rajma soft and simmer for long time for tasty curry.
    • You can try adding a large pinch of cooking soda while pressure cooking, in case of emergency.
    • Instead of ginger garlic paste, you can use chopped ginger and chopped garlic.
    • Or chopped ginger alone too works fine. If you want to avoid garlic, use hing/ asafoetida.
    YoutubeDo you like short videos? Subscribe now!
    InstagramMention @rakskitchen or tag #rakskitchen if you have tried this recipe.

    Other

    • coin potato fry recipe
      Coin Potato Fry Recipe
    • dangar pachadi recipe
      Daangar pachadi | Urad dal powder raita
    • brinjal moju
      Brinjal Moju Recipe
    • onion raita featured
      Onion raita recipe, how to make onion raita

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Aruna Manikandan

      March 11, 2013 at 6:03 am

      healthy and delicious gravy, love it 🙂

      Reply
    2. Nagalakshmi V

      March 11, 2013 at 6:10 am

      i use canned beans which makes it even quicker 🙂

      Reply
    3. sowmya(creative saga)

      March 11, 2013 at 6:14 am

      The picture is so tempting..lovely..goes well with steamed basmati rice actually..

      Reply
    4. CHITRA

      March 11, 2013 at 6:16 am

      This is in my try list , must try soon. tempting clicks 🙂

      Reply
    5. Vardhini

      March 11, 2013 at 6:18 am

      Curry looks delicious Raks. Inviting pictures.

      Reply
    6. Nisha

      March 11, 2013 at 6:19 am

      Beautiful presentation

      Reply
    7. APARNARAJESHKUMAR

      March 11, 2013 at 6:33 am

      lovely presentation raks !

      Reply
    8. Sowmya Sundararajan

      March 11, 2013 at 7:16 am

      Lovely

      Reply
    9. Jeyashrisuresh

      March 11, 2013 at 7:47 am

      Me too tired of cooking the rajma from mustafa. Got an pack of rajma from fairprice this time. Finger licking gravy. Pretty clicks

      Reply
    10. Rafeeda AR

      March 11, 2013 at 8:01 am

      looks absolutely yummy... love the addition of evaporated milk... i really love ur page, gives a good feel about how delicious veg cooking can be!!! 🙂

      Reply
    11. Divya Kudua

      March 11, 2013 at 8:06 am

      I love Rajma with flaky parathas,looks delicious!

      Reply
    12. Revathi

      March 11, 2013 at 8:28 am

      Delicious curry for chapatti or Jeera rice its my all time fav...neat clicks

      Reply
    13. Priti S

      March 11, 2013 at 10:10 am

      Looks yum ...love this always

      Reply
    14. Kaveri Venkatesh

      March 11, 2013 at 10:48 am

      Looks absolutely delicious

      Reply
    15. Priya Suresh

      March 11, 2013 at 11:08 am

      Such a protein packed dish, excellent pair of rotis as well as for rice.

      Reply
    16. prathibha Garre

      March 11, 2013 at 11:12 am

      Rajma and chawal is the most adored combination at my place..You can even try pink colored skin rajma,I just love them as they cook very nicely and adds the creamy texture by themselves to the gravy

      Reply
    17. Hamaree Rasoi

      March 11, 2013 at 12:13 pm

      This combination (rajma-chawal) rocks..But last time when I bought I had tough time to boil the rajmas as they were hard like stone even after cooking 40 min pressure cooker. Gravy looks so inviting also I never added cream or milk...

      Reply
    18. Srimathi

      March 11, 2013 at 12:26 pm

      Beautiful clicks. Rajma looks so beautiful through your eyes.

      Reply
    19. Finla

      March 11, 2013 at 12:27 pm

      I love rajma with rice or chapathies, and your rajma curry looks so good.

      Reply
    20. Ms.Chitchat

      March 11, 2013 at 1:47 pm

      Picture perfect rajma. A thorough professional preparation, nice click.

      Reply
    21. Saranya Balaji

      March 11, 2013 at 2:21 pm

      Beautiful clicks...so impressed of ur step by step explanation...
      First time here u have great place..
      Happy to follow u 🙂

      Reply
    22. Anu

      March 11, 2013 at 2:34 pm

      Looks tempting, wonderful masala great with pulkah

      Reply
    23. Premalatha Aravindhan

      March 11, 2013 at 2:40 pm

      Delicious masala,haven't tried at home...wanna make soon:)

      Reply
    24. Sudha Sabarish

      March 11, 2013 at 3:00 pm

      Even i too have experienced the above variety of rajma cooks soon.Yummy masala.

      Reply
    25. divya

      March 11, 2013 at 4:07 pm

      wow..delicious and tempting .lovely clicks too...

      Reply
    26. PriyaVaasu

      March 11, 2013 at 6:57 pm

      Lovely presentation raks!!!! I too sothapified rajma when I cooked it first time. It has improved a lot now. I don't add kasuri methi though! !!! Will try adding next time! !!!

      Reply
    27. Gayathri Ramanan

      March 11, 2013 at 8:51 pm

      protein packed healthy curry looks so good..

      Reply
    28. Sangeetha

      March 11, 2013 at 9:43 pm

      creamy and delicious rajma masala...excellent preparation!

      Reply
    29. Priya Yallapantula

      March 11, 2013 at 9:45 pm

      What an amazing recipe. I think you should send it to my "Healthy Me & Healthy Us" event 🙂

      Reply
    30. Gayathri

      March 12, 2013 at 1:26 am

      It looks very yummy..what is the cream i can use for this.. can you tell me the brand name which will be good.
      I always use your blog for cooking as am beginner for cooking and everything turns out delicious..You are a wonderful and dedicated chef

      Reply
    31. Veena Theagarajan

      March 12, 2013 at 3:30 am

      looks so yummy and creamy I started buying Rajma from NTUC for last 5 years -)

      Reply
    32. RAKS KITCHEN

      March 12, 2013 at 10:20 am

      I always use Nestle cream. Its easily available in shops.

      Reply
    33. Dipti Joshi

      March 12, 2013 at 11:06 am

      Rajma chawal is one of my favorite meals...

      Reply
    34. Wer SAHM

      March 13, 2013 at 2:01 am

      rajma masala looks fabulous....

      Reply
    35. Nivedhanams Sowmya

      March 13, 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Picture beautiful Rajma.... So tempting... looks soooo good!!!
      Sowmya
      Ongoing Event - HITS - Diabetic Friendly
      Ongoing Event + Giveaway - Italian Dishes

      Reply
    36. Nagashree

      March 14, 2013 at 3:09 am

      Yummy and creamy looking Rajma. I too love adding kasoor methi in these dishes.

      Reply
    37. Sharmilee! :)

      March 18, 2013 at 2:23 pm

      Creamy yummy rajma masala...looks very appetizing!!

      Reply
    38. Sharmilee! :)

      March 30, 2013 at 2:34 pm

      I love rajma in any form....looks yummy

      Reply
    39. Sonal Ramesh

      May 10, 2013 at 3:47 am

      it tuned out to be the best rajma I ever made- thanks to you!!My kids loved it:)Awesome pictures!

      Reply
    40. Anusha Rajendran

      June 01, 2013 at 1:35 am

      Looks delicious and nice clicks...

      Reply
    41. Anusha Rajendran

      June 01, 2013 at 1:35 am

      Looks delicious and nice clicks...

      Reply
    42. bugsy

      June 23, 2013 at 10:06 am

      I cooked it today and its yumm..good recipe

      Reply
    43. Swetha varadarajan

      September 08, 2013 at 4:01 pm

      did you soak the canned one for 12 hours or used it rite away?

      Reply
    44. Raks anand

      September 08, 2013 at 4:02 pm

      If canned can use it right away no need to soak

      Reply
    45. Ramya Aravind

      September 18, 2013 at 5:20 am

      instead of cream can we add any other thing

      Reply
    46. Raks anand

      September 18, 2013 at 5:23 am

      You can add milk.

      Reply
    47. Schist

      October 02, 2013 at 12:39 pm

      Thanks for bringing out the best in me.It was delicious 😀

      Reply
    48. prachi kulkarni

      October 19, 2013 at 9:57 am

      its delicious....i tried it...umm yummy

      Reply
    49. Deepa

      October 29, 2013 at 9:58 pm

      I see many recipes have fresh cream and without that I am not able to try your recipes. Do you know which shops in US have that Nestle Cream? Thank you

      Reply
    50. Rajlakshmi

      December 12, 2013 at 2:01 am

      awesome... I am gonna try this today... socked Rajma in the morning... hope it would be ready to be cooked by the time I reach home in the evening. 😀

      Reply
    51. Elvin

      January 03, 2014 at 5:41 am

      Hi, It all started with the palak paneer..... My husband loved it....and now Rajma......simply loved it....I am an amateur cook and ure recipes are really helping.....u make veggies look so good.....thanks for the lovely work u doing and helping us amateurs to become distant cooks.... Thanks

      Reply
    52. Sanket

      February 17, 2014 at 1:31 pm

      Mostly all punjabi recipes have Onion and Milk used together. Are they not opposite food items? And, shouldn't be consumed together?

      Reply
    53. Raks anand

      February 17, 2014 at 1:33 pm

      Oh is it so? I am hearing for first time.

      Reply
    54. Drishti Shah

      May 12, 2014 at 4:12 am

      What can I use in place of onions ?!
      We don't use onions !! 🙁

      Reply
    55. Raks anand

      May 12, 2014 at 4:16 am

      Just skip it and try, it should be fine I think.

      Reply
    56. govt

      May 14, 2014 at 12:04 am

      what can i use in place of kasoori methi?

      Reply
    57. Raks anand

      May 14, 2014 at 12:15 am

      I dont think there is any substitute for kasoori methi. It adds a great flavor to the gravy, so better use it.

      Reply
    58. Prathima Domakonda

      May 31, 2014 at 2:57 am

      This is my try list, must try soon. Nice click:)

      Reply
    59. Renuka Ambbarees

      August 26, 2014 at 2:38 pm

      I am having small white soya beans...shall I use this to prepare rajma masala? ?

      Reply
    60. Raks anand

      August 26, 2014 at 2:40 pm

      Sure you can try. It will get cooked sooner.

      Reply
    61. Renuka Ambbarees

      August 28, 2014 at 2:35 am

      Ok mam 🙂 thanks

      Reply
    62. Rismiya Nasrudeen

      May 16, 2015 at 7:26 am

      Hi.....I tried this recipe without milk/ cream.....still it was delicious ..... thanks

      Reply
    63. navakodi

      October 02, 2015 at 9:26 am

      U can get it from ur nearby Indian stores

      Reply
    64. vijayalakshmi muthu

      October 27, 2015 at 10:33 pm

      Exactly !!!

      Reply
    65. Gauthami Babu

      March 28, 2016 at 3:10 am

      I tried this recipe it turned out yummy. My hubby is a big fan of rajma i always make some mistakes this time it was great thanks Raji, love to follow you.������

      Reply
    66. T A T U M

      February 07, 2017 at 1:24 pm

      So delicious.

      Reply
    67. Madhu

      October 19, 2017 at 10:17 am

      Good and easy recipe. Came out just perfect. Thanku

      Reply
    68. FarmerUncle

      October 19, 2017 at 10:17 am

      this is so good! i really love rajma and everything related to it. i am so gonna try it.

      Reply
    69. Silvia

      March 24, 2018 at 1:04 am

      I can't wait to make this dish, it looks delicious!

      Reply
    70. Unknown

      September 11, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      I tried and it came out well and easy also.

      Reply
    71. Raks Kitchen

      September 24, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      Thank you for your feedback.

      Reply
    72. Vidhya

      October 13, 2020 at 11:08 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this recipe.. I tried it today and my family just loved it and could not stop saying again and again "Amma the rajma chawal is stupendous " 🙂

      Reply
      • Raks Anand

        October 14, 2020 at 7:48 am

        Thank you!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Raks anand

    Hi, I'm Rajeswari Vijayanand! I am the person behind Rakskitchen, sharing recipes with pictures & videos.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • eggless-donut-recipe
    • medhu vadai
    • ABC-juice
    • sakkarai pongal recipe

    Top picks

    • mango milkshake recipe
    • nankhatai recipe with wheat flour
    • Honey chilli potato
    • matar paneer recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Links

    • Privacy Policy
    • FAQ

    Also from Rakskitchen

    • Rakskitchen Tamil

    Contact

    • [email protected]

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Rakskitchen