Rajma

Name: Rajma
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2 cups red kidney beans, soaked overnight and boiled; 2 onions, finely chopped; 2 tomatoes, pureed; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 tsp rajma masala or garam masala; 1 tsp red chili powder; 2 tbsp oil or ghee; Fresh cilantro, for garnish; Salt, to taste

4 servings15 min prep40 min cookEasy India

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Rajma

Story updated September 17, 2026

Kidney beans aren't native to India—they arrived via the Columbian Exchange—but rajma became deeply embedded in Punjabi and North Indian home cooking, especially as the classic "rajma chawal" comfort meal. Its history as a named dish isn't well documented, but it's long been a Punjabi household staple.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

2 cups red kidney beans, soaked overnight and boiled
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, pureed
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp rajma masala or garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp oil or ghee
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Salt, to taste

Instructions

1Heat oil, sizzle cumin seeds, then sauté onions until golden brown.
2Add ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute, then add tomato puree, chili powder, and rajma masala.
3Cook until the oil separates from the masala.
4Add boiled kidney beans with some cooking liquid and simmer 20-25 minutes, mashing a few beans to thicken.
5Season with salt and garnish with cilantro.
6Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.

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