Red kidney beans or Rajma are a favorite for almost every North Indian. The dish not just food but an emotion that reminds most of mother’s home cooked food.
Its a regular in our house too and we are big fans.
Before we get started with the main recipe here are few common questions about the recipe:-
Can rajma be made without soaking?
Yes, rajma or kidney beans can be made without soaking. However, it will take much longer to cook them. If you are making them in a pressure cooker then they need to be cooked for 45 mins – 1 hour, whereas soaked kidney beans take around 25-30 mins to cook.
Also, soaking kidney beans is advised as it also helps with the digestion. But if in a pinch you can make rajma or kidney beans without soaking them overnight.
Does rajma need to be soaked overnight always?
No, if you forgot to soak the rajma overnight then you can also do something called quick soak. You can soak the rajma or kidney beans in boiling hot water for 2 hours. This should make rajma just as soft as when you soak them overnight.
When cooked in pressure cooker how many whistles should it be cooked for?
The overnight soaked rajma should be well done in 10-12 whistles. Whereas if it has not been soaked overnight then it needs to be cooked for 20-25 whistles. Make sure that you put appropriate amount of the water for it.
What to do if rajma does not soften?
Sometimes rajma can be hard even after soaking it overnight and then cooking it for 10 whistles. Its rare but can happen and for such situations you can add a pinch of baking soda to it when pressure cooking.
Recipe Card
Rajma without Soaking Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- 3-4 chili optional
- 2 cup rajma
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp Kitchen King Masala
- 2 tbsp Salt per taste
Instructions
- Grind the onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chili into a paste.
- Add oil to instant pot or pressure cooker and let it heat.
- Once hot add the grinded mixture to the pan and cook it until oil separates.
- Add Kitchen King Masala and salt per your taste and let these cook with the paste.
- Add rajma to the cooked mixture. Add 4 cups water.
- Cook for 45 – 60 mins to make sure rajma is cooked well.
Leave a Reply