Rajma with jeera rice
Sunday rajma chawal, portioned for a weekday. The beans do the work, so the gravy needs far less oil than most recipes ask for.
Serves 350 minutes, plus soaking
How to make:
Soak the rajma for at least eight hours, or overnight. This is not optional — unsoaked rajma neither cooks through nor digests well.
Pressure cook with salt and enough water to cover by two inches, for five to six whistles, until a bean crushes easily between your fingers.
Heat oil, add cumin, then the onion, and cook until properly browned. This is where the colour of the gravy comes from, so do not rush it.
Add ginger-garlic paste, then the tomato purée, turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder and salt. Cook until the oil separates at the edges.
Add the cooked rajma with its water. Mash a few beans against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy naturally, then simmer for fifteen minutes.
For the jeera rice, heat ghee, add cumin, then the cooked rice, and toss gently. Finish the rajma with garam masala and coriander, and serve with chopped onion.
Notes:
Rajma tastes better the next day, so make the full quantity and keep half for tomorrow.
