Raj-Ma Masala: Comfort Food Unlimited

         Lost and found recipe... written on a piece of paper. The rag piece of paper, watermarked with curried finger imprints has a story to tell. The recipe sheet has been shared, used. Over-used; but of course never abused. For all the good times with Rajma-Chawal and memories of some of the best dhabas along the Delhi-Uttaranchal route:this sheet of paper with the Rajma Masala recipe will be framed for my kitchen wall. 

Rajman Masala

Ingredients

200 gms      Red kidney beans (wash, soak beans over night  

                   in water)
4 large      Tomatoes, freshly puréed

100 gms    Onion, grated

1 tbsp       Ginger paste + whole ginger root 1 inch piece
1tbsp        Garlic paste

3 Tbsp       Oil 

2               Bay leaves

3               Black cardamom, a little battered and bruised

1/2-1tsp   Kashmiri Red Chili powder

1tsp          Garam masala
1tsp          Cumin powder
2 tsp         Coriander powder
1/4 tsp     Turmeric powder

1 Tbsp       Mint leaves, finely chopped

2-3            Green chillies, slit and de-seeded

                 Kashmiri methi-a couple of pinches

                 Salt to taste

Love Bytes: Add 1/2 tsp salt to the water and place the soaking rajma in the fridge. In this way the beans will not split. Another important factor in making a delicious rajma masala is selecting the right kind of beans: Easily available will be the canned variety. However, this species will taste nothing compared to the real stuff. Typically, I remember using and seeing three varieties of red kidney beans: large dark ones, lighter ones but of the same size and the Kashmiri variety-usually smaller then the other two but more flavoursome. I am told that the best beans are from Katra in Kashmir. So, if you can get hold of the Katra variety... don't think twice... go for it. For lesser mortals like me: I will stick to the Mexican variety for today :)

Method

1. Boil the soaked rajma (in the same water it has been soaked in). Pressure cooking is again the best method in here as it really reduces the cooking time. I stick to 1 full pressure whistle and then let it cool before opening the lid. The amount of water to be used while pressure cooking should be 1 inch above the rajma layer. Once cooked, drain the rajma. Do not throw away the rajma liquor (water in which it has been cooking).
2. Now take a heavy bottomed pan and heat the oil. Saute the bay leaves and the bruised cardamoms. I like to keep the heat at low during this time as I want the aromas and the essential oils from these spices to be infused into the oil. If you over heat oil and then tip in spices (unless some recipe demands that), then you end up not just burning the spices but also the aromas evaporate quite fast. Now with all these lovely nutty, earthy spices... the least we'd want is to waste them up in a smoke.
3. Next, tip in the grated onion and stir. You can now increase the heat to medium. A trick here is to keep sautéing the onions till they are gold brown. This is the caramalisation process. Done well, this process brings in a dark brown hue to dishes and it adds to the flavour of the dish too. 
4. Tip in the ginger, garlic paste. Sauté for 3 mins or so. 
5. Now bring in the tomato purée. This needs to cook well, so let's keep with the sautéing. Give it a good 8-10 minutes. Now another trick: let's say another... Love Bye: How do we know whether a mixture of spices or herbs or in this case our tomato and onion mix is cooked in and out? A fool proof, simple attention to details. If you can see oil separating from the ingredients...well, you have it. The masala is ready.
6. Lowering the heat, add slit green chillies, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and half of the garam masala. Give it a jolly good mix.
7. Add the boiled rajma. Mix all the ingredients. Tip in the rajma liquor. You can adjust the gravy consistency by adding water. However, I like my rajma to be thick, creamy consistency. So, I am quite a miser with the extra water. If atall I need more, I add a little at a time. Check for seasoning. Bring to a boil; cover and let it cook on low heat for 20 minutes. 
8. In the meantime, shred some juliennes from the root ginger piece. Tip this into the pot. Mix. Cover and let it complete it cooking time.  

At the end of the 20 minutes cooking time... the rajma masala gets to prove itself. Check for seasoning again. Mash a few beans to reach a creamy consistency. Sprinkle a little kasoori methi, mint leaves and 1/2 tsp of garam masala. One last stir and a real one pot meal is ready. Serve with steaming rice portion or jeera rice. 

Love Bytes: Old is gold... and at times; stale is platinum :) Its true for rajma masala. Particularly this dish. Something happens overnight and Voila! what you have next day is even better rajma... Trust me and try it out. Cool the left over; refrigerate and try it out next day after warming it up! :)

Hope you enjoy this one... 

Rab Rakha (bye/goodbye in Punjabi; especially used by the members of the Sikh community. Literally meaning 'May God protect you...')

....Maverick Cook:)