If you are looking for a simple to cook, healthy yet delicious to eat, doesn't take much effort but gets all the attention kind of Indian dish, then look no further. Rajma masala which is the curry made from red kidney beans is one of the most appreciated dishes of Northern India. Instant pot Rajma, which is the rajma made in Instant pot gets much easier as the soaked beans are directly cooked along with bhuna masala (onion tomato masala).
Rajma is most popularly served with rice which is also called Rajma Chawal where chawal means rice in Hindi. It also goes excellent with any kind of Indian flatbreads like Roti, Naan, Phulka, etc.
Feel free to use the button at the top of the page to go to the recipe directly or the table of contents below to go to any section of the page you want. The recipe card has all the information that is needed to make the recipe perfectly. However, I try to provide as much useful information in the post for the readers who are looking for it.
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Health benefits of Rajma
There are many health benefits to eating kidney beans i.e Rajma. Let's just see a few reasons to include it in your diet on a regular basis.
- Kidney beans are a powerhouse for proteins (15 grams of protein per 1 cup) and an ideal replacement for red meat.
- Excellent source of minerals such as copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus, molybdenum and vitamins B1 and folate
- Negligible sugar content, high on dietary fibres and possessing a low glycemic index (GI), makes these kidney beans an ideal addition to a diabetic diet.
- The richness of nutrients in kidney beans, hence, provides a host of healing health benefits, including regulating blood sugar, lowering cholesterol and boosting immunity.
IMP Note: Raw and improperly cooked kidney beans contain many antinutrients that are compounds that lower nutritional value harming nutrient absorption from the intestine. Hence it is important to soak kidney beans well and cook them completely before consuming them.
How to make with step by step pics
Let's see how to make the Rajma Instant pot recipe.
Preparation
- Start with rinsing and soaking 1 cup of Kidney beans for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Remove the soaking water from the beans and rinse the beans again 2 or 3 times and set them aside.
- Chop 1 big onion into small pieces and puree two tomatoes.
How to make Rajma
- Turn on the Instant pot in saute mode on medium heat and add oil and ghee. You can choose to add all oil or all ghee too.
- Once the oil is hot, add the whole spices and turmeric powder and saute for few seconds until you get a nice aroma.
- Then add chopped onion with a little salt (to help onions cook faster) and saute them for 3 to 4 minutes until they start turning golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, and red chili powder and mix well. Deglaze the pot by adding a couple of tablespoons of water if required and scrape the bottom to make sure nothing is sticking.
- Now add tomato puree, a little more salt for the tomatoes, sugar, and cook covered with a stainless steel or glass lid for around 3 minutes.
- Now add the soaked and rinsed kidney beans, water, salt to taste and mix really well. Scrape the bottom to make sure nothing is sticking.
- Turn off the saute mode, close the Instant pot lid with the vent in SEAL position and turn on Bean/Chilli mode for 35 minutes.
- Once the Instant pot turns off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then move the vent from SEAL to VENT position to release the rest of the pressure.
- Once the pressure pin drops after the pressure is released, open the lid and turn on the Instant pot again on saute mode again to reduce it to the right consistency.
- If you prefer, crush some of the beans with the back of the spatula to make the curry thicker or you can take a ⅓ or ½ cup of beans in a blender to puree and add the puree back into the curry.
- Also, add Kasuri Methi by crushing the dry leaves between your palms and garam masala powder and mix well.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with plain rice or jeera rice or any kind of Indian flatbread like roti, naan, phulka, etc
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions while making Rajma.
There are many studies to support both sides of the theory for the soaking and non-soaking method of cooking any dry beans. However, I believe soaking any kind of dry beans before cooking them improves nutrient absorption and aids in better digestion. To each his own, so choose whatever you think suits your needs.
If you are using already cooked kidney beans or canned kidney beans in this recipe, then instead of 40 mins on high pressure, cook only for 6 mins on high pressure in manual/pressure cook mode. Also, add 1.25 cups of water instead of 2 cups.
To serve it as Rajma chawal, You can use the pot in pot method to cook rice along with Rajma in an Instant pot. If you prefer, you can also add some cumin seeds, a few drops of oil, and a little salt to your rice before cooking to flavor it.
If you are coking soaked dry beans, then cook brown rice in the pot in the pot method using a tall trivet in the Instant Pot as the cooking time for soaked dry beans matches with brown rice cooking time.
If you are using previously cooked beans or canned kidney beans then you can cook white rice in the pot in pot method on a tall trivet in an Instant pot as both their cooking time matches.
Rajma masala can be paired with a salted or sweet lassi ( Indian style buttermilk) to make it a wholesome meal.
Yes, you can still make the Rajma Instant pot recipe without soaking. Follow the same method and instead of 35 mins, cook for 70 mins on high pressure in bean mode or manual mode. Also, add 3 cups of water instead of 2 cups.
After soaking and rinsing, pressure cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker for 4 to 6 whistles on medium heat. Rajma should be very soft but holding its shape when cooked. Now follow the same recipe in a stovetop pan, but after adding cooked rajma along with its water to the onion tomato masala, cook for 5 to 10 mins until everything comes together. No need for pressure cooking again.
Serving Ideas
Rajma is most popularly served with rice, which is called Rajma chawal recipe(chawal means rice) with yogurt and sliced raw onion rings on the side. Pair the meal with a glass of salted lassi (Indian buttermilk which is made with yogurt, water, and seasonings) to make it a complete wholesome meal.
You can also serve Rajma with any kind of Indian flatbread like roti, naan, phulka, chapati etc..
Storing and Reheating
It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days in an air-tight container. Reheat in a covered dish in the microwave or reheat on the stovetop.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours for easy heating.
PrintRecipe
Instant pot Rajma masala | Rajma chawal recipe
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Rajma masala is a Vegan and gluten free North Indian-style curry made with kidney beans. It is a simple, healthy, quick, and delicious dish and is almost always served with rice or roti and yogurt.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry kidney beans ( Rajma)
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons oil + 2 teaspoons ghee
- 1 big onion chopped into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 2 tomatoes pureed
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Cilantro for garnish
Whole spices
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Ground Spices
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi ( crushed between palms before adding)
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse and Soak 1 cup of Kidney beans for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Remove the soaking water from the beans and rinse the beans again 2 or 3 times and set them aside.
- Chop 1 big onion into small pieces and puree two tomatoes.
How to make Rajma Instant pot recipe
- Turn on the Instant pot in saute mode on medium heat and add oil and ghee ( you can choose to add all oil or all ghee too ).
- Once the oil is hot, add the whole spices and turmeric powder and saute for few seconds until you get a nice aroma.
- Then add chopped onion with a little salt (to help onions cook faster) and saute them for 3 to 4 minutes until they start turning golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, and red chili powder and mix well. Deglaze the pot by adding a couple of tablespoons of water if required and scrape the bottom to make sure nothing is sticking.
- Now add tomato puree, a little more salt for the tomatoes, sugar, and cook covered with a stainless steel or glass lid for around 3 minutes.
- Now add the soaked and rinsed kidney beans, water, salt to taste and mix really well. Scrape the bottom to make sure nothing is sticking.
- Turn off the saute mode, close the Instant pot lid with the vent in SEAL position and turn on Bean/Chilli mode for 35 minutes.
- Once the Instant pot turns off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then move the vent from SEAL to VENT position to release the rest of the pressure.
- Once the pressure pin drops after the pressure is released, open the lid and turn on the Instant pot again on saute mode again to reduce it to the right consistency.
- If you prefer, crush some of the beans with the back of the spatula to make the curry thicker or you can take a ⅓ or ½ cup of beans in a blender to puree and add the puree back into the curry.
- Also, add Kasuri Methi by crushing the dry leaves between your palms and garam masala powder and mix well.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with plain rice or jeera rice or any kind of Indian flatbread like roti, naan, phulka, etc.
How to make Rajma masala in a pressure cooker
After soaking and rinsing, pressure cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker for 4 to 6 whistles on medium heat. Rajma should be very soft but holding its shape when cooked. Now follow the same recipe in a stovetop pan, but after adding cooked rajma along with its water to the onion tomato masala, cook for 5 to 10 mins until everything comes together. No need for pressure cooking again
Notes
- If you are using already cooked kidney beans or canned kidney beans in this recipe, then instead of 40 mins on high pressure, cook only for 6 mins on high pressure in manual/pressure cook mode.
- To serve it as Rajma chawal, You can use the pot in pot method to cook rice along with Rajma in an Instant pot. If you prefer, you can also add some cumin seeds, a few drops of oil, and a little salt to your rice to flavor it.
- If you are coking soaked dry beans, then cook brown rice in the pot in the pot method using a tall trivet in the Instant Pot.
- If you are using previously cooked beans or canned kidney beans then you can cook white rice in the pot in pot method on a tall trivet in an Instant pot.
- Check out the FAQ section above the recipe card for more information.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Soak time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Main course
- Method: Instant pot
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Instant pot Rajma, Rajma Instant pot recipe, Rajma chawal recipe
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