(enough for 4 persons ; soaking time: 8 hours; cooking time: 30 – 40 minutes)

Ingredients

Rajma

• 1 cup kidney or pinto beans soaked for 8 hours or overnight
• 1 tablespoons (20 ml) olive oil or Ghee or any other oil added for boiling the beans
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil or Ghee or any other oil
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) green chili, chopped
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons (20 ml) ground coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon (2 ml) ajwain
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) garam masala
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) turmeric
• 2 tablespoon (40 ml) grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) tomato paste or 2 Cut Tomatoes or half of both
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Procedure

1. Wash the kidney beans in running water.
2. Soak the kidney beans in 4 cups of water for alteast 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
3. Boil the beans with 1 tablespoon of oil until soft.
4. Mash or press some of the beans with a laddle.
5. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and saute the cumin seeds. Then add ginger, green chilli, ajwain, coriander powder and asafoetida.
6. Add the tomatoes and/or tomato paste, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Stirring often, cook on moderate heat for about 10 minutes.
7. Add the boiled and mashed beans. Add more water if you need it more liquidy. Simmer everything for another 10 minutes on moderate heat.
8. In the end add lemon juice and fresh cilantro and serve hot with plain rice.