If you are looking for an authentic Punjabi Rajma recipe (Red Kidney Beans Curry), then you are going to want to bookmark my recipe!! I will not be wrong in saying that Rajma is the most cooked curry in Northern India. In fact, Rajma Chawal is India’s beloved food and is the ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD!! It is served in every restaurant, Dhabas and is also very popular amongst college cafeterias. Although you can have rajma with roti or chapati, but in order to truly relish the authentic flavor of this dish, you must eat it with basmati rice. This is a perfect dish for a lazy Sunday when you would not mind a nap after going into a food coma after an over-indulgent lunch!

Growing up, my mom used to make us Rajma Chawal every weekend on Fridays. This was our favorite meal of the week and my brothers and I would eat it straight from the pot! For me, there is no better soul-satisfying food than this delicious food.

Rajma is prepared using boiled Rajma (Kidney Beans) and cooked in creamy onion and tomato-based masala. The spices used in this dish are simple, flavorful and earthy. Even though these are the basic ingredients for this recipe, you will find a different variation of this in every household.

So, let’s get started with this recipe:

What is Rajma?

Rajma, known as Red Kidney Beans in English is a variety of the common bean. You will find that they come in dark red and light red color. For the purpose of this recipe, it does not matter which color rajma you use. It is a matter of your personal preference. To learn more about the benefits of Rajma, click here.

Can I freeze Rajma?

It is not possible to freeze cooked Rajma; however, it is definitely possible to freeze the masala. The masala used for Rajma is a generic masala that can be used for a variety of Indian dishes and can be easily frozen for pretty much forever!! Once you prepare the masala, allow it to cool and freeze it in ice cube trays or small freezer bags. Just pop it in the refrigerator the night before you want to use it.

Uncooked Rajma or Canned Rajma?

I am a big advocate of home-cooked meals and if that means using help from certain store-bought ingredients, I am all over it. Canned Rajma is an amazing time saver for this dish and your Rajma will come together in under 30 minutes (or less if you froze your masala) which is a HUGE blessing on weeknights! I have made Rajma using uncooked rajma and boiling it in a pressure cooker, and using canned Rajma and can say for certain that I have never tasted any difference between the two.

TIP: If you are going to use uncooked Rajma then make sure to soak it overnight in a deep mixing bowl (as it doubles in size) the night before, and pressure cook for 4 whistles.

Can I make Rajma in an Instant Pot?

Yes, you most certainly can!! If you want to make it in instant pot, use uncooked Rajma (you don’t even have to soak it) and follow the steps listed in my recipe below and pressure cook it for 1 hour in your instant pot with natural pressure release.

Should I use Tomato Paste, Crushed Tomatoes, Fresh Tomatoes or Tomato Sauce?

I am always asked this question and my response always is that it is completely your preference; however, after having experimented with everything listed above, I always achieve the best results when I use Tomato Sauce. I don’t like to see or taste the tomatoes in my Rajma which is why I shy away from using crushed tomatoes. They sometimes don’t end up blending well in the masala. As much as I love tomato paste for a lot of my curry recipes, I find it a little thick and heavy for this recipe. The texture of Rajma should be smooth and silky. You can try it a few times and decide what works best for you.