Rajma Pulao – One Pot Rice, Tomatoes and Red Kidney Beans

Rajma PulaoOriginal Post was published on September 8, 2014

Rajma is a comforting dish of red kidney beans, that is usually Sunday supper in North India. There is something nostalgic about soft red kidney beans swimming in a sweet and tangy tomato based sauce. Served of course with soft snowy Basmati rice. This dish brings to your table that same evocative comfort as a one pot meal. Rajma Pulao combines the flavors of classic Rajma and tranforms it into a portable one-pot dish.

Perfect for a quick meal, a lazy weekend brunch or something to carry along to school or work.

My Rajma Pulao Story

It is of course, very nutritious and a perfectly balanced meal at that.  This weekend has been about staying on eggshells and craving comfort. This dish has most of the notes of a classic rice and beans medley.

With lots of good summer tomatoes to boot.  I revived this dish recently for a class. You will find stove-top and instant pot variations.

Rajma Pulao

Transitions

All things considered, it does take some getting used to all the new routines and snags. The third grader remains to be a ball of sunshine, and his big relief is that so far he likes his teacher more than his older sis predicted he would. Her third grade year was somewhat difficult and I did not have enough time to focus on the transitions.

Deepta’s big transition is moving on to middle school, she is still trying to wake up early enough to make it to school. This week, I am on school drop duty, yes, there is no school bus as middle school is too close to our house.

Aadi and Deepta

I seem to be faced with work transitions that I am not necessarily looking forward to. I hate transitions, possibly a result of all the travel that I have had to do as a child. However, essentially, I had more of a professional wanderlust, which seems to be something I do not have much time for these days.

There is already too much going on with balancing all their myriad lessons and activities.  I am just trying to eke out a living and stay solid through the school years, at least until they both hit middle school.

Rajma Pulao

Well, man proposes and as I like to say, God laughs! We shall find out soon, whether it is a laugh or just a smile. Until, then I shall be loading up on comfort food, watching the eggshells and sleeping.  One pot protein packed meals like this always save the day.

The colors of this Rajma pulao ranges from red to golden red. Depending on the tomatoes (canned tomatoes offer a deeper color.

More Ideas for Rajma and Red Beans

Here is a variation of this dish using cauliflower rice. And here is a quick and easy variation or rajma or North Indian style red beans.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian my new Indian Instant Pot Cookbook is ready for order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.

Do not forget to get social with me, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and even Youtube.

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Rajma Pulao – One Pot Rice, Tomatoes and Red Kidney Beans

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Rajma Pulao – One Pot Rice, Tomatoes and Red Kidney Beans

A comforting one dish creation of rice and red kidney beans, Rajma Pulao is a perfect one-dish meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 3 tomatoes, diced or 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup of cooked red kidney beans
  • 1 teaspoon powdered cumin
  • 1 teaspoon powdered coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 2 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 1 lime or lemon
  • Chopped red onions
  • Chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil and add in the cumin seeds and wait until they begin to sizzle. Add in the ginger and stir lightly.
  2. Add in the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are nice and soft and almost mushy.
  3. Add in the kidney beans and the cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Stir in the salt and the sugar with 1 cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Add in the rice with another cup of water and add in the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover and cook for 12 minutes and check to see if the rice needs more water, if needed add in the water and cover and cook for 10 more minutes, until the rice is nice and soft.
  5. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  6. Cut the lime or lemon and remove the seeds and squeeze in the juice. Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro and serve with a side of yogurt if desired.

Notes

Instant Pot Instructions

Turn the instant pot onto saute mode. Heat the oil and add in the cumin seeds and wait until they begin to sizzle. Add in the ginger and stir lightly. Add in the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are nice and soft and almost mushy. Add in the kidney beans and the cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Stir in the salt and the sugar and stir in the rice with the the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods. Set to rice mode and allow a natural steam release. Cut the lime or lemon and remove the seeds and squeeze in the juice. Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro and serve with a side of yogurt if desired.

https://spicechronicles.com/rajma-pulao-one-pot-rice-tomatoes-red-kidney-beans/

 

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