Instant Pot Rajma Chawal Recipe | Pressure Cooker Kidney Bean Curry

Rajma Chawal Recipe-Instant Pot is a popular North Indian comfort meal recipe that's cooked with red kidney beans in a no onion & no garlic tomato based curry sauce. Rajma Chawal is best served with Chawal or steamed white rice.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Rajma Chawal Recipe, Rajma curry, Rajma Masala

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 37 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

1 cup red kidney beans or Rajma
5 cups water for soaking the seeds
3.5-4 cups water or rajma stock for gravy use more or less according to your preference
1 medium tomato pureed
1 tsp Tomato Paste diluted with water
½ tsp Whole Cumin Seeds also known as jeera
2 Green Chilies slit
2 Dried Whole Red Chili
2 Bay leaf
½ tsp Asafoetida also known as Hing
¼ cup Canola Oil or mustard oil
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1.5 tsp Paprika or Deggi Mirch or Kashmiri Red Chili Powder or paprika powder
½ tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Kasturi methi powder or dried fenugreek leaves
⅓ cup finely chopped coriander leaves also known as cilantro
2 tbsp ginger paste
Salt (to taste) according to taste

For the Chawal or steamed rice

1 cup Basmati Rice
1-¼ cups Water
1 tsp Ghee or more

Instructions

Wash the Rajma or red kidney beans well under running tap water & soak them in enough water for overnight or for 8 hours!
Switch on the Instant Pot. Add the soaked Rajma along with water into the pot.
Place the Instant Pot Trivet & place a steel bowl or any heat resistance glass/ceramic bowl on the trivet.
Add the rice, water & ghee. Close the Instant pot lid. Set the Valve to SEALING. Press the PRESSURE COOK button & set it to HIGH. Set the time for 7 mins.
After 7 mins when the IP (Instant pot) starts to beep DO NOT do a quick pressure release. Wait for 10 mins & then release the rest of the pressure.
Open the lid, check the rice, at this stage the rice will be nice, soft, fluffy & well cooked.
Take out the trivet along with the rice pot carefully. Keep aside.
The red kidney beans at this stage will be semi-done. Strain the beans & store the water. We will use them later in the gravy.
Next, Press the CANCEL button of your IP & then press the SAUTE button. Set it on HIGH.
Add oil, when the oil becomes hot add the whole cumin seeds or jeera, bay leaves, the chilies & the asafoetida or hing and allow them to sizzle for a few seconds.
Now, add the ginger paste & saute well until the raw smell completely disappears, If you find the heat too much to handle than bring down the heat to NORMAL.
Next, add the tomato puree & mix well.
Add the masalas like turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, paprika powder, red chili powder, salt and saute well until oil oozes out.
Next, add the diluted tomato puree, mix everything well & then, add the semi-done rajma. Mix everything well.
Add the chopped coriander leaves, kasturi methi & garam masala powder. Mix & saute well with the red kidney beans. Add the stored rajma boiled water. Mix everything well.
Press the CANCEL button & then, press the PRESSURE COOK button & set it to HIGH. Set the time for 30 minutes.
When the IP starts to beep, do a QUICK pressure release. Open the lid & adjust the consistency of the gravy according to your preference. If you prefer thicker gravy simmer on SAUTE for few mins & if you prefer thinner gravy add a little more water if need be. We prefer our rajma masala semi-thin.

Video

Notes

DO NOT use old Kidney beans. They will take a very long time to get cooked.
Adjust the amount of water in the gravy according to your preference. We love Rajma Masala semi-thin. If you prefer a thinner runny gravy add little more water & if you prefer a thicker rajma masala simmer the gravy on SAUTE for couple of mins after pressure cooking.
The water measurement provided in this recipe is for not too runny & not too thick Rajma Masala. And the water quantity is enough to help you avoid the BURN message in the IP. Add more or less if you prefer.
If your beans have a bite to them even after following the pressure cook time mentioned in this post then, do cook them for 5-10 mins more.
The cooking time of red kidney beans depends on 3 factors - their variety, age & the water you use. (read this blog post to know more).
Add salt while pressure cooking the beans. Salt hastens the cooking process.
Saute the masalas well.
You may increase or decrease the spice level according to your liking.
This Rajma curry recipe is VEGAN but if you want to make it GLUTEN FREE too then skip adding Asafoetida or hing.
If you want to make your chawal or steamed rice gluten free skip adding ghee, you may 1 tsp canola oil instead.
To cook soft, fluffy rice use the exact measurements and only BASMATI rice.
For al-dente rice use 1 cup water.

NOTE: 6 quart IP used to cook this Rajma Chawal Recipe.

Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.

PLEASE NOTE: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet or special diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Rajma Chawal Recipe | Pressure Cooker Kidney Bean Curry

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)

Calories 120 Calories from Fat 32

% Daily Value*

Fat 3.5g5%

Saturated Fat 1.5g9%

Sodium 610mg27%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 0.5g2%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin C 24.8mg30%

Calcium 60mg6%

Iron 1.8mg10%

* Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition