Rajma Masala: The Easiest Rajma Recipe

If you’re craving a taste of India that’s both comforting and bursting with flavors, look no further than Rajma Masala, one of the easiest Rajma Recipe.

Rajma with rice is my favorite Indian comfort food. It is so easy to prepare, and I can eat it any time of the day. Growing up in India, I remember eating Rajma masala with jeera rice and a side of papad and onions for most Sunday lunches. Every North Indian household in India probably has a slightly different Rajma recipe. This is my mom’s easy Rajma Masala recipe that I have modified for the Instant Pot. It does not require any store-bought Rajma masala and can be made with all the regular Indian masalas that we have at home. The Instant Pot makes it so easy and quick to make this Rajma recipe. 

So, get ready to savor the rich and flavorful Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans curry) with my easy-to-follow Instant Pot recipe. In just three simple steps, you’ll be able to enjoy this classic Indian dish that’s packed with protein and aromatic spices.

First, I’ll guide you through boiling the rajma (kidney beans) to perfection using the Instant Pot’s pressure cooking function. Then, I’ll show you how to prepare the savory masala gravy by blending a combination of spices and aromatics. Finally, I’ll bring it all together by combining the cooked kidney beans with the prepared masala, resulting in a hearty and satisfying curry that pairs perfectly with rice. Let’s dive into this culinary adventure and unlock the flavors of authentic Rajma Recipe with the convenience of the Instant Pot.

What is Rajma?

Rajma is called kidney beans in English. Rajma masala is a kidney beans-based gravy dish in a spicy onion-tomato gravy. It is a typical food from the state of Punjab in India. 

Ingredients used to make this Rajma recipe

To boil the Rajma

• 1 cup rajma (dried kidney)
• 2 tablespoons chana dal
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• Salt

To blend into a paste

• ½ of medium yellow onion
• 1 1/2 large Roma Tomato
• 1-inch piece of ginger
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 1 small green chilis (or according to heat tolerance level)

Additional spices/ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Is it important to soak the rajma (kidney beans) overnight for this Rajma recipe?

Yes, I prefer to soak the rajma (kidney beans) overnight for 7-8 hours. It is first washed and then soaked in 3 times the amount of liquid. You will see the next morning that the beans have significantly expanded in size and are nice and plump. There are two reasons to do this- first, it reduces the cooking time of the beans significantly and they cook more evenly. I also feel the soaked beans are easier to digest.  Be sure to remove the water that the beans have soaked in and use fresh water when boiling them. 

But don’t worry if you have forgotten to soak the kidney beans overnight and don’t have 7-8 hours of time. Soak the beans in boiling water and cover the container with a plate for 3 hours. It has the same effect as soaking the beans overnight. 

Why instant pot rajma recipe?

Instant Pot is my preferred way of cooking beans these days. It is so much quicker and also hands-off. 

You will notice in the recipe card below that this is a 2 pan method of cooking rajma masala. What is this method?

It is a cooking method in which while the rajma is being boiled/cooked in the Instant Pot, we are going to prepare the gravy ingredients and cook it separately on the stovetop. 

I know it uses 2 pans but we are saving a lot of time here. 

The rajma is going to take almost 50 minutes (35 minutes of cooking time + time to come up to pressure + venting time) to cook in the Instant Pot. While the Instant Pot is cooking the kidney beans, we can prepare the gravy ingredients and cook the masala. That is time saved.

How to make an instant pot rajma recipe?

Boiling the kidney beans

1. Wash the kidney beans and chana daal and soak them in 3 cups of water overnight or for at least 7-8 hours.
2. When ready to boil, drain the soaking liquid and add the kidney beans and chana dal to the Instant Pot insert.
3. Add bay leaf, salt, turmeric powder, and 3 cups water to the kidney beans. Close the lid of the Instant Pot and secure the pressure valve to seal.
4. Manual cook it for 35 minutes on High pressure.
5. When the cooking process is complete and the Instant Pot beeps, carefully move the pressure valve to vent and quickly release the pressure.

Prepare the gravy

While the kidney beans are boiling in the Instant Pot, start preparing the masala.

1. Blend all the ingredients into a paste.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a pan.
3. Once it heats up add the cumin seeds and cook till it slightly darkens.
4. Add the wet blended tomato-onion paste to the oil and cook stirring occasionally on medium flame.
5. Cook for 5-7 minutes till it is cooked and the oil separates slightly.
6. Add coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala and stir to cook and combine.
7. Turn off the heat and set the cooked masala aside.

Add the gravy to the boiled rajma (kidney beans)

1. Once the rajma (kidney beans) has cooked and you have opened the Instant Pot lid, turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode.
2. Add the prepared masala to the cooked kidney beans.
3. Save some of the chopped cilantro for garnish and add the rest to the rajma.
4. Give it a good stir for everything to mix and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.
5. At this point taste and add any seasonings as required.
6. Add lemon juice to taste.
7. Garnish with additional cilantro and serve.

Serving Rajma Masala

Rajma masala is generally served with white rice/jeera rice. In my opinion, basmati rice tastes the best.  The accompaniments served with rajma masala are very important. Roasted papad/papadum and sliced red onions are some of my favorite sides with Rajma masala. You can also serve a yogurt-based raita dish to go along with rajma masala and rice. 

Recipe tips for Rajma Recipe

• Chana dal is added to the rajma recipe as a thickening agent. You can skip it if it is not available to you.
• Suppose you are not a fan of the 2-pan method as specified in the recipe card. In that case, you can cook the masala and the tomato-onion gravy on the Saute function of the Instant Pot and then add the soaked kidney beans, turmeric, water, and salt and follow the steps to boil the kidney.  For this method, you will increase the cooking time to 40 minutes instead of 35 minutes on the recipe card.  Boiling the kidney with acidic ingredients like tomato always takes a little bit longer to cook. 
• If you follow a Jain no onion/no garlic diet, you can skip the onion and garlic used in the blended paste. In fact, I make this recipe without onion-garlic a lot and it still tastes delicious.

FAQs- Rajma Masala recipe

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Recipe Card- Rajma recipe in the Instant Pot