Name: Instant Pot Rajma Masala - Kidney Beans Curry Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup washed and rinsed rice; 1-1.25 cup water; 1 fresh lemon quartered; 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped; 1 large onion diced; 3 medium red tomatoes diced; 1 inch ginger minced; 5-6 cloves garlic minced; 1 tablespoon Cumin -Coriander powder; 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder; 1/4 teaspoon red chili Powder - adjust per spice tolerance; Salt per taste; 2 cups soaked red kidney beans (rajma); 2 cups water; 1 black tea bag ( for earthy color); 1 cinnamon stick; 2 bay leafs; 1 tablespoon cooking oil; 1 teaspoon Garam Masala; 1 teaspoon Amchur Powder; 1 Tablespoon Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves); Salt per taste

Jump to Recipe

Rajma masala is an delicious Indian curry made by slow cooking red kidney beans in a rich and flavorful vegetable gravy called curry masala. Tender, melt in your mouth kidney beans give hearty and comforting texture to this sultry Indian Curry.

Similar to Dum Aloo, Aloo Matar and Sprouts Curry, you can prepare this Indian curry in electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot. It stores well and can be used for weekly lunch prep as well.

What is Rajma Masala?

Rajma is kidney beans and masala is a generic Indian name for spice mix. So Rajma Masala is Indian Kidney Beans Curry. Red beans are cooked in combination of different Indian spices to make this hearty dinner curry. Typically served with rice, Rajma Chaval is an Indian soul food at it’s best !

Indian curries are full of bold flavors and melt in your mouth velvety creamy texture. This famous Punjabi curry recipe is a staple food especially in Northern India. Tender kidney beans simmered in luscious onion tomato masala curry. This delicious recipe oozes comfort and satisfaction in every bite.

Restaurant Style Rajma Masala

Rustic color and earthy flavors are key in this popular recipe. Most Indian spice boxes are stocked up with the herbs and spices needed to bring out that aroma.

Kidney Beans Curry spans it’s stardom across all genres. From roadside food stalls called “Dhabas” to five star restaurants, and, from weeknight dinners to lavish parties and wedding dinners, you will find Rajma Curry everywhere.

This hearty curry is loaded with plant protein, complex carbs and fiber. It’s gluten free and dairy free. You can use this curry for weeknight dinners as well as lunch boxes. The flavors develop and it tastes amazing for days. And it freezes well too.

Recipe Inspiration

My childhood friend Sonia is from Jalandhar, Punjab. This heartland of India is famous for all North Indian / Punjabi food like Chole Bhature, Matar Chat, Saag Paneer and Baingan Bharta.

Sonia’s mom makes heavenly food and she loves to feed all her friends that delicious food. This recipe is based on her Mom’s authentic traditional recipe with few tweaks and changes.

Rajma Chawal or Red beans and rice is popular weeknight meal. It’s filling, budget friendly, lip smacking delicious and nutritious. It also is a popular item of lunch buffet menu in Indian restaurants.

Instant Pot Rajma Masala

I love making Rajma Curry in Instant Pot. Traditionally, in India, stove top pressure cooker were used extensively to cook beans and lentils. With electric pressure cooker, making these heirloom dishes have become a breeze.

HOW TO MAKE ONION TOMATO MASALA

Onion tomato masala creates an irresistible flavor base for this curry. This masala is versatile in use. You can simmer any beans and lentils to make delicious curries.

People often call it butter masala if butter is used instead of oil in the preparation. Recipes for Butter chicken, egg curry, lamb and goat curry – all use this spicy curry sauce.

To make onion tomato masala, you sauté chopped onions till they become fragrant. Add minced garlic and ginger. Stir and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin and coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder to the instant pot. Stir and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.

Remove the mixture from the pot. Let it cool down. Add little water and using the mixer, grind it into smooth puree. Onion tomato masala is ready.

You can make a big batch and freeze this masala. Comes in very handy for quickly whipping up the curries and stews. And it thickens as you cook along.

How to Make Curry Creamy?

There is no cream or thickener used in this recipe. You won’t miss it either. You can always mesh up some cooked beans for thicker curry sauce. All the Indian curry fans out there, you must try this recipe. You will LOVE it. If you are new to Indian cooking, I am listing links for all the essential ingredients so you can easily whip up this delicious recipe.

SOAKED / UN-SOAKED / CANNED KIDNEY BEANS

I prefer to use soaked kidney beans for making Rajma Chawal. Soaked beans cook to the perfection of melt in mouth softness.
If you are planning to use un-soaked dry beans, raise the cooking time by at least 15 minutes and increase the amount of water by 1 extra cup.
You can use canned kidney beans if you prefer. Drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans under cold water. Canned kidney beans can be done in 6-8 minutes of cooking.
To soak the beans, wash and rinse them under cold water few times. Add 3-4 cups of water per 1 cup of beans. Keep it covered for 4-6 hours or overnight. Discard the soaking water and rinse the beans before using.
I have noticed that old beans don’t cook well whether it’s chickpeas, kidney beans or others. Please check the packing date and use freshest beans possible.

INGREDIENTS

Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s list of what you need. Adding my favorite items with Amazon Affiliate Links

Kidney Beans
Tomato Onion Masala
Other Spices / Herbs and Seasonings : Bay leaves, Cinnamon stick, Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Garam Masala, Amchur Powder ( dry mango powder) , Kasuri Methi ( dried fenugreek leaves)
Black Tea Bag – for rustic brown color
Chopped Cilantro and lemon wedges for garnish

Rajma Chaval in Pot in Pot Cooking

Since beans take long amount of pressure cooking, you can easily make white rice or brown rice using PIP (pot in pot method)

Prepare the curry mixture as suggested in the main insert. In a separate stackable container, prepare rice and water. Put the tall trivet in the main insert. And put the rice container over the trivet.

Close the lid. And choose BEAN setting. Rice and rajma cooks at once !!

Instant Pot Rajma Masala Curry

Prepare onion tomato masala separately
Sauté the masala in oil along with the spices till oil separates. ( this brings out intense flavors)
Add in kidney beans and tea bag and water.
Pressure cook the curry.
Discard the bay leaf, tea bag and cinnamon stick after it’s cooked.
Adjust the seasoning, garnish with cilantro and serve.

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Instant Pot Rajma Masala - Kidney Beans Curry Recipe

Yield: 6 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Rajma Masala is famous Indian kidney beans curry. Make restaurant quality delicious rajma curry at home using Instant pot or Stove top pressure cooker. Vegan and gluten free recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups soaked red kidney beans (rajma)
2 cups water
1 black tea bag ( for earthy color)
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leafs
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon Amchur Powder
1 Tablespoon Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Salt per taste

Onion Tomato Masala

1 large onion diced
3 medium red tomatoes diced
1 inch ginger minced
5-6 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon Cumin -Coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili Powder - adjust per spice tolerance
Salt per taste

For Garnish

1 fresh lemon quartered
1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE RICE ALONG WITH THE CURRY

1 cup washed and rinsed rice
1-1.25 cup water

Instructions

INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS :

TO MAKE ONION TOMATO MASALA

Plug in the instant pot and press SAUTE mode and let it heat until it displays HOT. Add oil and onions. Saute for few minutes till they get translucent. Sprinkle some salt.

Add minced ginger and garlic. Stir and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin - coriander powder, turmeric and red chili powder to the instant pot. Stir and saute for 2-3 more minutes. Cancel Sauté.

Remove the mixture from the pot. Let it cool down. Add little water and using the mixer, grind it into smooth puree. Onion tomato masala is ready.

TO MAKE RAJMA CURRY

Start the InstantPot on SAUTE mode. Add oil. Add bay leaves and cinnamon and saute for 30 seconds. Add onion tomato masala. Add garam masala, red chili powder, amchur powder, turmeric powder. Mix well and let the mixture come to bubbles.

Add the soaked rajma (KIDNEY BEANS), a tea bag and water to the instant pot. Stir it all up. Cancel SAUTE.

Place the trivet. In a bowl, add soaked rice and water and place the bowl on top of the trivet. Close the lid with vent in sealing position. Select "BEANS/ CHILLI mode. This will set the timer to 30 minutes at high pressure cooking. Once the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.

Using tongs, carefully take out the bowl of rice. Then take out the trivet. Remove and discard the tea bag, bay leaves and cinnamon. Add kasuri methi and lemon juice and stir the curry mixture. Garnish with cilantro. Rajma masala is ready. Serve warm with rice or roti.

STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER INSTRUCTIONS

Follow the same steps as above. Use the kadhai or frying pan to sauté the onion tomato masala. Also do the tadka in kadhai. Transfer the rajma curry mixture to stovetop pressure cooker.

Cook on high heat for 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. Garnish and serve as mentioned above.

Notes

BEAN setting defaults to 30 minutes of high pressure cooking on Instantpot.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1.5 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 318mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 9gSugar: 6gProtein: 11g

Nutritional values are provided as a courtesy and the values are approximate. The values will change depending on the exact ingredients, measurements and brands used. As always, for specific health issues and dietary requirements please consult medical professional.

Instant Pot Rajma Masala – Kidney Beans Curry Recipe