Rajma Rice

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Rajma Rice:

Rajma Rice

 How long it takes: 1 hour

Number of servings: 4-5

This makes for a sumptuous and delicious one-pot meal ! It is very popular among North Indians, and not that appreciated in the South – mostly because we don’t employ rajma in our ethnic dishes. However, I’m sure it’ll be appreciated if made at home, especially as a departure from the routine veg pulav or tomato/coconut/lemon rice. I’ve previously uploaded recipes for dal makhni and rajma, and essentially you can have these dishes served with rice. However, I have tried to make it as a one-pot meal and this is my version. Be advised that it requires some advanced planning.

What you need to have:

1. Basmati Rice – 1 cup
2. Sprouted/ Normal Rajma – 1/2 cup
3. Salt – As per taste
4. Cooking oil – 4-5 Teaspoons

Basmati Rice

Sprouted Rajma Beans

Ingredients of Wet Masala:
1. Green chilly – 1
2. Ginger chopped – 1/2 Tablespoon
3. Garlic cloves – 4-5
4. Chopped Mint leaves – 2 Tablespoon
5. Chopped Cilantro – 2 Tablespoons
6. Shallots – 4-5

Ingredients of Wet Masala

Ingredients of Seasoning:
1. Chopped Onions – 1/2 Cup
2. Chopped Tomatoes – 1/4 cup
3. Cumin powder – 1/2 Teaspoon
4. Cumin seeds – 1/2 Teaspoon
5. Garam Masala powder – 1/2 Teaspoon
6. Chilli powder – 1 Teaspoon

Ingredients of Seasoning

What you do with what you have:

1. Wash and drain the basmati rice and keep it aside as shown in image-1.  Wash, peel and cut tomatoes fine.  Peel and chop onions fine and keep it aside as shown in image-4.
2. Soak Rajma beans in water overnight.  Drain water from it and tie it in a cotton cloth tightly  and keep it aside till evening.  By then it will have sprouted – however this happens only in the heat of the summer, and even so, the sprouting is not complete (as in image-2).
3. Grind the ingredients of wet masala in the mixer adding very little water if necessary to a thick consistency.

Ground Wet Masala

4. Place a cooker with 2-3 Teaspoons of cooking oil in it on medium flame.  When hot, add cumin seeds to it.  When it splutters, add chopped onions and a little salt to it.  In the mean time add chopped tomato from step-1 also to it and keep stiring till it is fried well.  When fried add grind wet masala to it.

Wet masala being added

5. Finally add all powders in a row and also the cumin powder and stir in well.

Seasoning powders being added

6. Finally add basmati rice and sprouted rajma beans from step-2 and step-2 to it and also add required quantity of salt and water to it and cook till done.

Rajma and rice being added

7. Enjoy with tomato onion salad or raita of your choice when done.

Ready to serve Rajma Rice with salad

How long it takes: – 1 Hour
Number of servings: 4-5
Good to remember:
1. This requires advance planning – especially overnight soaking of rajma.
2. Sprouted beans enhance the taste and nutritious value of the dish.
3. The proportion of both cilantro and mint can be as per one’s palate.
4. Cooked rice also can be used in place of rice being cooked with it.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Advance planning, North indian dishes, One hour, One pot meals