Instant Pot Rajma Masala
Rajma Masala is a onion tomato based Kidney Bean Curry popular in the Northern States of India. This protein packed delicious curry is served with rice and often called as Rajma Chawal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry rajma ( red kidney beans)
- 2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 tomato, diced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 green chili, slit
- 1 tsp teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt to taste
- lemon juice to taste ( skip it if using amchur powder)
- chopped fresh coriander leaves
Spices -
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ - ¾ tsp chili powder ( I used Kashmiri chili powder which is mild)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1.25 tsp garam masala ( add 1 tsp while cooking and ¼ tsp after pressure cooking)
- ½ tsp amchur powder ( if not available, use lemon juice to get the tang)
Instructions
Soaking the Rajma-
- Wash the rajma twice with the tap water. Add about 6 cups of water and soak the rajma over night or atleast 8 hours.
- Its important to soak the rajma for that long. Soaking is the key to getting a creamy rajma curry.
- After 8 hours, when you are ready to make the curry, drain the rajma and set a side.
Making Rajma Masala in the Instant Pot -
- Turn on the instant pot and press saute mode. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Saute for ten seconds. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, till onion turns slightly soft.
- Add the green chili, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the tomato and cook till mushy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add all the Spices to the onion tomato mixture and cook till the oil slightly oozes out, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the soaked rajma and 3 cups of water.Give a mix and cancel the saute mode.
- Close the instant pot lid and turn the vent to the sealing position. Press the manual or pressure cooker mode and cook the rajma for 30 minutes in high pressure.
- Once the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of garam masala and amchur powder (can be substituted with lemon juice).Mix the curry and add adjust the water depending on how thick or thin you prefer the rajma.. You can also mash some of the beans to make it thick. Just keep in mind that the curry thickens as it cools.
- Add fresh coriander leaves and Serve rajma masala with rice.
Notes
All the spices can be adjusted according to your taste.
Amchur powder is dry mango powder. It gives tang to the curry, but if you don't have it....substitute with lemon juice.