Rajma - Red Kidney Bean Curry

 

Rajma - Red kidney bean curry

• 1 cup (240ml) dried red kidney beans
• 5 cups (1 litre 250ml) water to soak the beans in
• 2 large tomatoes, blitzed in the food processor
• 1 tsp tomato purée, mix in small amount of water to dilute down
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 fresh green chillies
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (available in supermarkets)
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1.5 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tbsp Katsura methi powder (or dried fenugreek leaves)
• Large handful of finely chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
• Salt to taste

Method:

Rinse the kidney beans and leave to soak overnight in 5 cups of water, for a minimum of 8 hours.

Switch on your Ninja foodi, add the kidney beans and water, switch lids to pressure cooker, make sure the valve is set to seal and pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.  Once the timer beeps, turn off the keep warm setting and leave for 10 minutes and then do a slow release of pressure.  At this stage the beans will be partially cooked, drain them and keep the water as this will be used later.

Now switch the Ninja to sauté and set it to medium.  Heat the oil, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, chillies and the asafoetida and leave to sizzle for a minute or so.  Add the ginger/garlic paste and fry off for another minute or so(turn the heat down if getting too hot).  Add your blitzed tomatoes and mix through, add the turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, paprika, chilli powder and good pinch of salt, stir and leave to sauté for another minute.

In the next step, add the diluted tomato purée and the kidney beans, give a good mix then add the coriander leaves, kasturi methi and the garam masala, stir through and leave to sauté for around 5 minutes.  Next add the reserved water to the pan, mix well then return to pressure cooker mode (switching lids) and cook on high for 30 minutes.  Once the time is up do a quick release of steam and check the consistency of the curry, if a bit thin for your liking sauté until it thickens up or if too thick add some water to thin out.

This was my first proper recipe I had tried in my Ninja and I have to say it was so straight forward and the end result was fantastic.  The house was filled with amazing aromas and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in!  We are big chilli fiends in this house so the heat wasn’t a problem for us but if you like your curry a bit milder adjust the ingredients accordingly.

I served the curry with basmati rice, naan breads, coriander and mint sauce, onion bhaji, vegetable pakoras and pickles. 

Dinner was a huge hit, the flavours were amazing, I will definitely been doing this again, the recipe serves 4 comfortably.  I hope you enjoy as much as we did, now what to cook next!