Instant Pot Rajma Masala (Curried Kidney Beans)

Instant pot rajma masala is red kidney beans cooked in a thick onion-tomato gravy. Ladled over white or brown rice, it makes for a complete meal and a very popular North Indian dish called rajma chawal. Vegan, gluten-free and yum!

About Rajma Masala

Rajma Chawal is Punjabi comfort food that really comforts! Very similar to dum aloo, kadhi chawal, and matar paneer, this is a quintessentially North Indian dish that is very popular. 

Rajma or red kidney beans have a nutty-buttery taste which is enhanced by the sauce you cook them in. In north India, kidney beans are cooked in an onion-tomato gravy until very soft and usually served with rice. I have very fond memories of eating rajma chawal (kidney beans with rice) while growing up in Delhi, and today, I'm sharing with you the very same authentic Punjabi rajma recipe from my childhood. No points for guessing that  this is a tried-and-tested, made-more than-a-gazillion-times recipe!

But that comes later. With beans, the big question is always ‘to soak or not to soak?’

Soaking the beans

There is always a debate about whether to soak beans or not. 

If you don't soak your beans and decide not to, the matter ends here. Go ahead and cook your unsoaked beans and if you’re happy with the results, that’s it!

However, most people soak their beans (nuts and seeds too) as a matter of traditional wisdom. Soaking does significantly reduce the cooking time since the beans swell and soften with all that water in them. 

Me? In the midst of all the fuzziness, I prefer to stick with traditional wisdom. My mother always soaks her beans overnight and won’t hear of any theories about cooking them unsoaked. And she cooks the beans after rinsing them in running water. So, I follow suit. And really, I have found personally that this method works for me. 

If you want to really get into a spirited discussion of this issue and make up your own mind, check out this post by Vegan Coach.

Why this recipe works

1. It is very easy to make in the instant pot.

2. It has a few, very commonly available ingredients.

3. It has the goodness of beans and is very nutritious.

4. It is a filling, delicious meal when eaten with rice.

Ingredients

Note: Exact quantities are given in the recipe card below.

• Kidney beans
• Onion
• Red ripe tomatoes or tomato sauce
• Ginger root
• Garlic
• Powdered spices - red chilli, turmeric, coriander and garam masala
• Cooking oil
• Sea Salt

Instructions

Preparation

1. Soak the beans - Wash and soak kidney beans in water, cover and keep aside overnight or at least 4-5 hours at minimum.

2. Make the masala - Grind together onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic to a smooth puree.

Cooking

1. Cook the masala - Turn on the saute mode on your instant pot and add the cooking oil, followed by the masala prepared above. Add all the ground spices - red chilli, turmeric, coriander and garam masala. Cook this for about 4-5 minutes, adding splashes of water if required.

2. Add the beans, salt and 2 cups water - Pressure cook for 30 minutes on high pressure and let the steam escape naturally (12-15 minutes).

3. Open the cooker - Switch to the saute mode again (normal) and mash a few beans with the back of a spoon. Add a quarter cup water if you feel the gravy is too thick and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the beans are well-mixed with the gravy.

4. Prepare the tempering (optional) - Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frypan and add some finely sliced onions and cumin seeds. When the onions caramelize, add a dry red chilli and pour immediately over the rajma curry.

Note: Step 4 is completely optional and you can easily skip it if you don't want to add more oil to the rajma curry. Tempering does enhance the taste of most curries, so if you're looking for that extra yum factor, go right ahead and do it.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Instructions

If you don't have an instant pot, follow the exact same steps in your stovetop pressure cooker. Let the pressure build on high heat after you have added the kidney beans along with the water. After one whistle, lower the heat, cook for 30 minutes, then switch off. Wait for the steam to escape and open the cooker. Temper the rajma with fried onions, cumin and a dry red chilli.

Serving Suggestions

1. Serve rajma with steamed white rice. This is the classic rajma chawal that everyone's favourite.

2. If you want to get a little fancy, make this cumin rice to go with the rajma curry instead of plain rice. It is very flavorful and comes together in 20 minutes in the instant pot. Or serve it with brown rice made in the instant pot.

3. On a different note, a good side dish to go with rajma chawal is this mirchi ka salan.

More Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Rajma Masala (Curried Kidney Beans)

Saima Zaidi

Red kidney beans cooked in a thick onion-tomato gravy in the instant pot. Ladled over white or brown rice, it makes for a complete meal and a very popular North Indian dish called rajma chawal. Vegan, gluten-free and yum!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Lunch

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Calories 181.3 kcal

Equipment

• 6-quart Instant Pot Duo
• Small frypan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the rajma curry

• 1 cup red kidney beans
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 red onion medium, chopped roughly
• 1" ginger chopped
• 4 cloves garlic peeled
• 1 tomato medium, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• sea salt
• 2 cups water

Tempering

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon onion chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dry red chillies

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Wash and soak the kidney beans in 2 cups water. Keep covered overnight or at least 4 hours.
• Grind the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato in a blender to a smooth puree.

Cooking 

• Switch on the instant pot to saute (normal), and add the oil, followed by the the onion puree prepared earlier. Add the red chilli, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powders. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, adding splashes of water if required.
• Add the kidney beans, salt and 2 cups water.
• Cancel the saute mode, close the lid, seal the vent and set the timer to 30 minutes, high pressure. When the timer beeps, let the steam escape naturally. Open the cooker and switch to saute mode again.
• Mash one or two tablespoonfuls of beans wit the back of a spoon and simmer for 5 minutes so that the beans get mixed with the gravy. Take out the rajma in a bowl.
• To temper the rajma curry, heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frypan and add the sliced onions and cumin seeds. When the onions turn reddish brown, add the dry red chillies and pour this seasoning into the bowl of rajma immediately.
• Serve hot with some steamed rice and a salad of your choice.

Notes

1. Soak your beans in water for at least 8 hours before cooking them. 
2. If, however, you don't want to soak the beans or forgot to, add more water while cooking them. Instead of 2 cups, add 3 cups of water in step 2. Also, set the timer to 45 minutes, high pressure. This will ensure that the beans are well-cooked and soft.
3. If making this recipe in your stovetop pressure cooker, follow the same steps including the time for pressure cooking. After closing the lid, increase heat and wait for the pressure to build up. After one whistle, lower the heat and cook for 30 minutes, then switch off. Let the steam escape naturally, then open.
4. I have not included the soaking time in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 181.3kcalCarbohydrates: 17.4gProtein: 4.5gFat: 11.1gSaturated Fat: 0.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9.5gSodium: 813.5mgFiber: 5.5gSugar: 2.9g

Keyword Indian curries, kidney beans curry with rice, rajma chawal, rajma masala

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