Rajma
Dried red kidney beans, tomatoes and green chilli come together in this Indian vegan — 70 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Soak the kidney beans in plenty of cold water overnight, then drain and rinse; pressure cook with fresh water and a little salt for about 18 to 20 minutes, or simmer in a covered pot for 60 to 90 minutes until completely soft and crushable, reserving the cooking liquid.
- Blitz or finely chop the tomatoes into a smooth puree, and finely dice the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilli.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the onions over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden, then add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder, cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato puree and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the masala thickens and the oil separates at the edges.
- Tip in the cooked beans with enough reserved liquid to make a thick gravy, season with salt, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, lightly mashing some beans against the pan to thicken the sauce.
- Finish with the garam masala, simmer for 2 more minutes, then scatter with fresh coriander and serve hot over steamed rice.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan · Pressure cooker
What to serve with Rajma
- Dal fry Vegetarian
- Chicken Handi Chicken
- Lamb Biryani Lamb
- Tandoori chicken Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Rajma take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Rajma vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Original recipe — developed in-house by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Rajma is an original Indian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Rajma Rice.JPG by Namita Verma, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.