Punjabi Rajma

Ingredients

1 cup rajma soaked over night or 1 can pre cooked red kidney beans
2 medium sized onions chopped
5 flakes of garlic smashed or 1 tsp garlic paste
1 small piece of ginger grated or ground  or 1 t sp of ginger paste
2 tomatoes chopped fine or 2 tb. spns of tomato puree
11/2 tb, sps cooking oil
1/4 t sp. haldi
1 tb sp corriander powder
salt to taste
chilli powder to taste
5 pepper corns
1/2  big  cardmom
3 cloves
2small sticks cinamon
chopped corriander/ cilantro leaves
11/2 -2 glasses of water..........if using pressure cooker to boil the beans

Method

• Pressure cook rajma for atleast 10 minutes or open ,drain and wash the canned kidney beans.
• Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and fry  on medium heat till golden brown and soft.
• Add the last four dry spices at this stage.
• add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle a bit of water if too dry.
• Add corriander powder, turmeric and chilli powder with a sprinkling of water and fry till the raw smell goes.
• Now add the tomatoes/puree and fry for at least 2-3 minutes. The masalas and onion tomato mixture should be well blended and the oil should begin to separate on the sides.
• Drain and save the water and add boiled rajma/beans to the pan and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
• Add the drained water, mix well and let it boil on high heat for 2-3 minutes till the curry thickens slightly.If using canned beans, add 11/2 glasses  of water(300ml)and let it boil till well blended and the consistecy you like.
• Garnish with chopped corriander/ cilantro leaves and serve with boiled rice.

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• Note: The last 4 dry spices can be added whole as mentioned or these can be ground and sprinkled on top at the end of cooking but it tastes just as yummy without these, so take the easiest option.
• The same recipe can be used for black eyed beans. These take less time to cook so should only be pressure cooked for 3-4 minutes. This tastes better if the curry is kept slightly thinner than the kidney beans.