Rajma(Brown beans in Onion gravy)

Rajama

 Rajma are called mutton of vegetarian because it is very rich in proteins. family loves Rajma -Chawa combination along with curd and salad so much that once a week it has to be cooked. The preparation is so much liked by my son that he would demand it for his lunch box also. And before I could bat my eye lids his friends from hostel also started landing home with demand of Rajama.How much a lady loves when her cooking is appreciated, so I had no qualms in preparing it again and again.

         Preparation time: 10 min.
        Cooking time: 45 min.
        Servings:  4 large.

  Ingredients Required For Making Rajama : 

• 250gm. Rajma washed and soaked for 10 - 12 hrs.
• 75gm. Onions (2 medium size)
• 2 Tea spoon Garlic-Ginger paste
• 50gm.Tomatoes ( Two Medium size0
• 3-4 Cloves
• 2 Black cardamon 
• 2 Petals of Aniseed.
• 2-3 Bay leaves 
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tea spoon Garam masala powder 
• 1/2 tea spoon Cumin powder 
• Salt  to taste.
• Chilly powder as per the taste.
• 1/2 tea spoon Turmeric powder 
• Cooking oil (100 ml) 
• Malai (fresh cream) ( optional) (100 ml) 
• For garnish Coriander leaves or Celery/Parsley leaves finely cut after washing.

Directions For Making Rajma:

• Wash the soaked Rajma and put it in pressure cooker along with:
• 3-4 Cloves
• 2 Black Cardamon
• 1 small Aniseed piece
• 2-3 Bay leaves 
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
• Salt.
•  Chilly Powder
• 1/2 Tea spoon Turmeric Powder 
• 500 ml. of water
• Cover and put the cooker on flame. 
• When pressure is built in the cooker then allow rajma to cook on low flame for 1/2 hr.

Boiled Rajma

• Cut onions very fine.
• Wash and cut tomatoes to 1 inch pieces and put in a grinder and make fine paste of it.
• In a thick bottom wok put oil and heat.
• Add 1/2 cloves, bay leaves and cook for 30 sec.
• Add onions, lower the flame and cook till golden brown.Keep stirring regularly.

• Add garlic ginger paste to the onions and cook till the entire mixture leaves the wall of the wok.

Onion - Garlic and spices cooked and ready for Tomato to be added

• Add tomatoes into it and cook again till the entire mixture leaves the wall of kadhai.

Tomatoes added to the Onion-Garlic paste

• Add boiled rajma from cooker to the above mixture and mix nicely.

Boiled Rajma added to the onion garlic and spices paste

• Allow it to cook for 15 min. 
• Add water in between if required.
• Add cumin powder and garam masala.
• Rajama is ready to be eaten with plain boiled rice/jeera rice

Rajma ready to be served

• Remove the cooked rajma in a serving bowl and add malai (cream) and mix it gently. 
• Garnish it with the herb of your choice

         Enjoy Rajma with hot plain rice or jeera rice. :)

     Tips : -

• Throw the water in which the rajama is soaked and add fresh water for boiling.
• Add garam masala in the end. 
•  Do not add cooking soda while boiling rajma.            

Suggested Variations:

• For those who do not eat onion and garlic 2-3 teaspoons  extra coriander powder can be added. 

• Mix finely cut onion, tomato, little chat masala and red chili powder. Mix with hot boiled rajma and enjoy as chat- pati rajma chat.