Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Quote from Kristin Vukovic "This Diwali—festival of lights—we plan to make Punna’s rajma dal and chicken curry, lighting diyas to invite the goddess Lakshmi into our home, bringing luck and prosperity in the new year...It’s just the three of us and Dad likes more spice, but it’s two against one and mild wins. I’ll let Uma add the spice, her small fingers pinching the chili pepper."

Punna’s Rajma Dal

“One usually cooks it according to individual taste—that means you reduce the amount of spices, taking into consideration how much the person eating it can take.”

  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 c. rajma dal (a.k.a. red kidney beans)
  • 4 Tbsp vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
  • 3 red onions, around a three-inch radius (I am mentioning this as I have seen enormous onions in the U.S.)
  • 2 tomatoes (diced)
  • 1 Tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 Tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 Tbsp MDH brand rajma masala
  • 1 tsp tumeric
  • cilantro (handful)
  • 2 or 3 green chilies (cut in half – optional)
  • 1–2 pinches of red chili pepper (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Rajma:

  1. Wash the rajma and soak overnight; ensure the water is at least two inches over the rajma. Put it all in a pressure cooker along with the turmeric and salt. Add water until the cooker is at least half full. Turn down the heat once the cooker builds up pressure (around 5-10 minutes). Allow it to cook for a total of 90 minutes. The rajma should be soft; if not, add hot water and cook some more.

Prepare the Tadka – This is what we call tadka:

  1. Pour the oil into a wok and heat on medium-high until it shimmers; add the onion and cook until lightly brown. Add ginger, garlic, red chili pepper, and green chilies; cook for around five minutes, stirring so it doesn’t get stuck to the pan. Add diced tomatoes and masala, then cover and let simmer until it becomes a soft mash. Add a wee bit of water in-between if you feel it is sticking to the bottom.

Combine:

  1. Add the tadka to the rajma and let it cook for ten minutes. Grind a bit of the rajma with a spoon against the wok so that it thickens, but leave most of the beans intact. Add cilantro.
  • Author: One Potato
  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://onepotato.com/punnas-rajma-dal/