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. 

   

Dal Makhni (Broth of mixture of pulses)

Dal  Makhni

Dal makhni is absolutely buttery in texture and tingles the taste buds. In Northern India specially in Punjab it is a regular fixture in those house holds where eating rich food immaterial of the calories it is adding is a regular fixture because they work hard and eat hard!!!
My family loves it and once in a while daughter and daughter in -law stop counting calories and lap it up to the last drop.
Make it and see the reaction of your family members.They would love you for they will get the best of the food at home! 

   Preparation time 15min.(dal soaking time not included)
   Cooking Time  60min.
   Makes 7-8 generous helpings.

    Materials Required For Making Dal Makhni : -

• 100gm. Saabut Urad Dal
• 50gm. Rajama
• 50gm. Chole(Chick peas)
• 50gm. Black Gram.(kala chana)
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 20-30gm( 2 medium size) Onion 
• 50gm. (2 medium size )Tomatoes
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 3 Cloves
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
• Small piece of star Aniseed
• Nutmeg small piece
• 2 teaspoons Garlic-Ginger paste 
• 2 teaspoons Clarified Butter(ghee)
• 100 gm. Butter 
• Salt to taste
• Chilly Powder to taste.
• 1 or 2 Whole red chilies.
• 2 tea spoons Coriander leaves finely cut 

    Directions to prepare Dal Makhni

• Mix all pulses and  wash them thoroughly.
• Soak them for at least 5-6hrs.
• Drain and throw the water.
• Put the soaked dal  in pressure cooker along with 
• Salt
• Chilly Powder
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 3 Cloves
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
• Small piece of star Aniseed
• Nutmeg small piece
• 750 ml of water
• Cover the lid and cook on high flame till pressure in the cooker is built.
• Lower the heat and cook on low flame for 30min.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.

•  Cut onions very fine
• Cut tomatoes fine.
• Heat clarified butter in a wok.
• When butter is hot add onions and stir fry till golden brown.
• Add garlic ginger paste and cook till it leaves the side of container. 
• Add tomatoes and cook till all liquid evaporates.

Masala of Onions, Tomatoes and all spices for Dal Makhni

• Add boiled dal and cook for at least 15min.
• Keep stirring in between and add water as needed.
• When done, it should look soft with all spices and water nicely mixed.( homogenous).

Dal-Makhni before butter is added 

• Add butter and give a gentle stir.
• Remove from heat immediately after adding butter.
• Take the cooked dal makhni  in a bowl.

Dal Makhni

• Heat little ghee and add whole red chilly ,when brown pour it over the dal, and then garnish it with coriander leaves.

Enjoy hot with steaming hot rice. :-)
Tips:

• Discard the water in which dal is soaked.
• After boiling the dal should be soft enough to be mashed by pressing between two fingers.
• Dal becomes creamy and nice if cooked with continuous stirring for longer time(at least 20 min.) occasionally adding water in required amount.

Suggested Variations :

• Those who are allergic to chana may omit it.
• Butter amount can be reduced, but that will be also compromising with the taste ans texture.
• Nutralite butter can be replaced for regular butter to reduce fat content in Dal Makhni.