Rajma: A Traditional Kashmiri Kidney Bean Curry Recipe

Kidney beans, or rajma, are extremely good for health and offer an ample portion of protein, fibre, folate and magnesium in every serving.

As with salads, bean burger patties and Mexican chilli dishes, kidney beans also go really well in curries too. Kidney bean curries are an excellent, wholesome meal option for vegetarians and anyone else who loves hearty bean dishes.

With the health benefits of kidney beans ranging from blood sugar reduction and weight management, as well as those of yoghurt, which is renowned for its longevity benefits with references to health that date back as far as 6000 BCE in Indian Ayurvedic medicinal texts, it's no surprise that when both ingredients are teamed up with each other, the result is one amazing dish!

Kidney bean curry dishes are commonly cooked in Northern Pakistan, Northern India, Afghanistan and Nepal. This classic curry recipe originates from Kashmir and is made with kidney beans in a delicious yoghurt sauce. While fresh coriander is an optional garnish in many curries, we highly recommend that you don't skip using it as the freshness of both the flavour and aroma is amazing.

Ingredients

480g Cooked kidney beans (2x 400g tins, drained) you can also use dried kidney beans that have been rinsed and then boiled in salted water.
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 inch Cassia bark or cinnamon stick
1 Whole dried red chilli
1 Whole green chilli
1 tbsp Cooking oil (Such as olive, coconut or sunflower oil)
2 Medium-sized onions (finely chopped)
1 tsp Garlic (crushed into a paste)
1 tsp Ginger (crushed into a paste)
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt (or cooking salt)
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
½ Garam Masala powder
500g Natural plain yoghurt
Chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Heat the cooking pot or pressure cooker and gently toast the cumin seeds, whole dried red chilli, and cassia bark until aromatic, taking care not to overdo them as this will ruin the flavour.

2. Add the oil, whole green chilli, and finely sliced onions to the pan and fry until the onions start to turn golden brown.

3. Add the ginger and garlic paste and continue to sauté for another minute.

4. Add the salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and 1 cup of water then cover with the lid.

5. Lower the heat and allow to simmer until the onions soften into a curry sauce when stirred. If using a cooking pot, you may need to add more water to avoid burning the sauce.
  
6. Add the yoghurt and the pre-cooked kidney beans and heat through until the yoghurt has blended and cooked into a sauce that has started to thicken.

7. Garnish with the freshly chopped coriander leaves.

This classic Kashmiri curry has a soup-like sauce which is best served with boiled rice.

After making this recipe, why not take a quick photo and tag @tastepakcom and hashtag it #tastepakcom on Instagram!

More Pakistani Recipes for You to Enjoy

If you enjoyed the above recipes, check out more of our Pakistani recipes such as:

Channa Masala - A popular vegetarian-friendly curry made with chickpeas, that is enjoyed in both Pakistan and throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Aaloo Paratha - A pan-fried flatbread with a spicy potato stuffing.

Chicken Curry - A simple yet authentic recipe for a Pakistani style chicken curry; known as Murghi ka Salan.

Meat Curry - A homemade Pakistani inspired meat curry recipe which is suitable for lamb, mutton or beef.

Red Lentil Curry - A super simple to make, yet wholesome recipe for a Punjabi style red split lentil curry; known as Masoor dhal.

Enjoy the regional cuisine of the Indian Subcontinent in the comfort of your own home with our authentic recipes and recipe kits!