My own Rajma Curry

I always wanted to write a food blog. People who more or less know me, know that I can cook well. Hence, writing a food blog was always on my 'Things-to-do-before-I-die' list (just kidding, I am not obsessed with death). Well, what more opportunity to start the first recipe than today. Today, one of my roomie in Ipswich went back to India. So, I thought what better send-off than to cook his favourite dishes. Few days back I asked him what he would like to have, and he said Rajma and chicken. Now, rajma is arguably the favourite dish of northies (i.e. North Indians). So I said why not, but I will do it my way.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rajma (red kidney beans), soaked in water overnight.


• 2 medium sized onions (thin sliced)


• 2 medium sized tomatoes (thin sliced)


• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste


• 2 teaspoons coriander powder (dhaniya)


• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)


• 3-4 green chillies


• Few cloves, cardamom and small piece of cinnamon


• (optional) Bits of Jayfal (nutmeg) and Jayitri


• 2 dry red chillies (for tempering)


• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil


• Salt


• Sugar (1/2 teaspoon)

Procedure:

• Boil the Rajma in a pressure cooker with salt. I generally let the pressure blow 3-4 whistles so that the Rajma is soft.


• Grind the Garam masala (cloves, cardamom, Cinnamon, nutmeg, jayitri) coarsely.


• Put a pan on the hob or gas, and put the oil in it. Let the oil to heat up.


• Crush dry red chillies by and and put in the oil. Fry a bit and then add the ground garam masala. Do turn down the heat, otherwise the masala will get burnt.


• Pour thinly sliced onion and green chilies after that. Add a bit of salt and then start frying.


• In the meantime, soak the coriander powder, haldi and sugar in 1/2 cup of water.


• Fry till the onions are translucent and then add the ginger garlic paste. Fry that till the smell of raw garlic is gone.


• Now pour in the haldi coriander mixture and fry till the water has dried up. Take care the masala does not burn at the bottom.


• Then add the tomaoes and fry till the tomatoes are cooked.


• By now the mixture should be very smooth, if not you can put that in a grinder and make a smoother paste.


• Add this paste into the boiled red kidney beans. Add water according to the gravy you want and bring to boil. Remember to smash some beans to make the gravy thicker.


• The rajma curry is ready. Garnish with a cube of butter and few fresh coriander leaves.


• Best eaten with rice, also good with parathas.

It went well, the aroma was good, and the taste was definitely different.Most importantly my friend liked it.