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No Onion, No Garlic Rajma Masala (Pressure cooker/Instant Pot)

Super delicious and aromatic Rajma Masala Curry without onions or garlic. An absolute comfort food with rotis, parathas, naan, rice etc.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups red kidney beans/rajma

FOR THE TOMATO PASTE:

  • 1 large tomato or 2 medium chopped
  • 8 to 10 cashew nuts
  • 1 ½ inch piece ginger cut into pieces
  • 2 green chilies/1 jalapeno/ serranos peppers

FOR THE RAJMA GRAVY:

  • 1 tbsp jeera/cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp roasted jeera/cumin powder (roast cumin seeds until light brown and powder)
  • ¼ tsp hing/asafetiada powder (omit if gluten free)
  • 1 to 2 tsp red chilli powder depending upon how spicy you want
  • ½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala or Kitchen King masala powder (Homemade or store bought)
  • 1 tsp amchur/dried mango powder or chaat masala powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee avoid this if vegan
  • 1 tsp crushed kasoori methi leaves/dried fenugreek leaves
  • Finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse and soak the kidney beans in water for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Drain and keep aside.
  2. If you are short on time, just boil rinsed dry kidney beans in water for about 5 minutes and let soak in the hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and the beans are ready to be used in any curry!

TO MAKE THE TOMATO PASTE:

  1. Soak 8-10 cashew nuts in a little water for about 10 minutes.

  2. In a blender jar, make a fine paste of the 8-10 soaked cashew, 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, 1 1/2 inch piece ginger and 2 green chilies/1 jalapeno; add a little water if needed. Keep aside.

TO MAKE THE NO ONION-NO GARLIC RAJMA GRAVY:

PRESSURE COOKER METHOD:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pressure pan or pressure cooker on medium heat and once hot, add 1 tablespoon jeera or cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf. Sauté for a few seconds until the oil is infused with the spices.

  2. Stir in the tomato-cashew paste and mix well to combine; fry for one minute, stirring continuously.

  3. Tip in the dry spice powders: 1/2 teaspon haldi, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon roasted jeera powder, 1/4 teaspoon hing and 1-2 teaspoons red chilli powder. Mix well.

  4. Keep frying until the spices are well cooked and you see oil oozing out from the sides.

  5. Now add 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (or store bought Kitchen King masala powder) and amchur/chaat masala powder and stir well to combine.

  6. Tip in the soaked and drained red kidney beans along with 4 cups of water. Add salt to taste and mix well.
  7. Close the pressure cooker, add the weight and cook on high heat. After the first whistle, lower the heat to medium low and cook for another 20 minutes.

INSTANT POT METHOD:

  1. If you are using an instant pot, use the sauté button to fry the spices and paste.

  2. Once the soaked rajma is added, cancel the sauté button and use “beans’ option in instant pot or pressure cook on seal for 30 minutes.

  3. Naturally release the pressure. Check to see if the rajma is cooked. When pressed easily, they should be soft. If not, cook for a few minutes more.
  4. At this stage, add more water to suit the consistency you want and adjust salt to taste, if needed.
  5. Simmer for one more minute, garnish with crushed kasoori methi and cilantro leaves.
  6. Serve hot with any Indian flat bread like paratha, roti, naan etc. and for a super comforting meal, enjoy with hot, steamed plain or jeera rice!
  7. Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Recipe Notes

  • If you are using unsoaked beans, then increase the amount of water and increase the cooking time to 40 minutes.
  • When you are short on time, you can use canned beans too. Use two 14 0z cans of kidney beans; drain, wash well, drain and use in the curry. Just mix into the sauteed masala along with required amount of water and cook and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Adjust the amount of spices according to personal preference.
  • If using onions and garlic, add 1 small onion and 2 to 3 cloves of garlic when blending the tomato-cashew paste.