This recipe for rajma, an Indian kidney bean curry, is a family favorite. And it is so easy to make in an instant pot!
What is Rajma?
Think melt-in-your-mouth kidney beans coated in a thick onion and tomato masala gravy and loaded with flavor. I’m not sure there’s anything more comforting than a bowl of rajma chawal (rajma and rice).
Rajma is a red kidney bean curry that’s typically served with basmati rice hence the words rajma chawal. For those of us who are Punjabi, these two words go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Not only is this recipe extremely economical thanks to the dried kidney beans, but it’s also great for those following a gluten-free or vegan diet.
I’m Punjabi, and so as a child, this dish was in our regular dinner rotation. The funny thing is that back then, I loathed rajma. It was nothing compared to Butter Chicken, my childhood dish of choice. But now, if you were to ask me to choose between the two, I think I’d pick rajma (ugh, tough choice, though). It’s a dish that makes me feel nostalgic, and I find it so, so delicious. I relish every bite.
It wasn’t until I left home and went off to college that I started to miss my mom’s rajma. I still remember the look of surprise on my mom’s face when I asked her to make it for me – not kidding when I say her jaw dropped. It’s funny how things you don’t care for as a child end up being dishes you love. I feel the same way about bitter melon (karela) – hated it back in the day, absolutely love it now.
Should I Soak Kidney Beans?
This always seems to be a controversial topic. I know many people feel pretty strongly over whether or not to soak legumes, but I think many Indian families soak beans/legumes before cooking. I partially do it out of habit (it’s what my mom taught me and what my grandmother taught her) and because I think it makes the beans easier to digest. You decide what is best for you, but please know that you will need to cook the kidney beans for longer than the time listed in my recipe if you use unsoaked beans. My method results in perfectly soft and tender kidney beans.
In addition to increasing the cook time – another thing to keep in mind if you decide not to soak the beans is that you’ll likely have to add more water to the recipe as soaked kidney beans absorb water. If you decide to use unsoaked kidney beans, then let us know how it goes.
One last thing about kidney beans – they contain a high level of a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin (yeah, that’s a mouthful) – this lectin is destroyed if you cook the beans long enough. Eating kidney beans that aren’t properly cooked can cause some pretty bad stomach/GI issues – another reason to either soak the rajma or cook them longer.
If you love this Punjabi dish, then chances are you’ll love my recipe for Punjabi chole too, so give that a try next!
Instant Pot Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)
Instant Pot Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried kidney beans soaked overnight
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- ½ Serrano pepper or green chili
- 3 tablespoons oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
Spices
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Pinch of cayenne optional
- 2 cups fresh tomato puree OR 1 cup onion masala* see notes approx. 1 pound tomatoes if blending fresh puree
- 2 cups water
- Cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Soak the kidney beans in cold water overnight. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Add the onion and green chili to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Press the sauté button. Add the oil and allow it to heat up for a minute. Add the cumin seeds and once they become brown, add the blended onion and Serrano pepper to the pot and stir-fry for 8-10 minutes, or until the onion mixture begins to brown.
- Add the bay leaf, garlic, ginger, and spices and stir quickly, then add the pureed tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the kidney beans and water.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 30 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.
Video
Notes
- If you decide not to soak the kidney beans, you will need to add more water to the recipe as soaked kidney beans absorb some water. You’ll also need to adjust the cook time and cook the unsoaked beans longer. I haven’t tested this recipe using unsoaked kidney beans (as I always soak legumes); however, if you try, please leave a comment letting us know!
- If you’d like to make this using my onion masala, use 1 cup of onion masala and omit the onion, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. Just add the onion masala in step 5 with the kidney beans and water.
Nutrition
Love Indian Food and want more Instant Pot recipes?
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bradley stoll says
If I use your onion masala recipe (with the garlic, ginger, and spices), I assume that I shouldn’t had any more spices to the rajma dish? You mention to skip the garlic and ginger, but I didn’t see where said anything about the spices.
Dr Oommen says
Incredible. I have bought her cookbook And it’s the best money I have ever spent. I’m Indian, extremely good at cooking, and even my Elderly mother, who’s been cooking 50 years was shocked at the taste of her biryani. Honestly, every grain of rice was separate. I have not had anything that tasty even in Benares biriyani 2 Michelin star Indian restaurant in London.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Wow, thank you for the kind review. That’s so nice to hear – made my day 🙂 Glad you enjoy my recipes so much. Can I ask which biryani recipe you’re referring to? I’d love to share this review if that’s alright with you!
Alisha says
After it’s cooked for 30 min, how long do you leave it to naturally release the pressure? Another 30-40 min?
Gina says
I have tried your recipes and they are great! The best part is some cook real fast and you get tasty Indian food! Much easier cooking and in one pot. I did notice when I made aloo gobi or sometimes butter chicken the pot will say burn. I follow the timing and release. Please let me know if you have tips. Maybe after sauté I need to let it cool down?
Also for this recipe, do you know where you can get organic Serrano peppers?
But your recipes are great! I really enjoy them and you are a life saver!
Jen says
So skip to step 5 if making with onion masala?
– 2 cups kidney beans soaked overnight
– 2 cups water
– 1 cup onion masala (I made your recipe the other day)
Or do I do steps 1-4 then add onion masala at step 5? I am trying to understand the notes.
Rebecca Sharma says
I love this recipe. Can you make it in a slow cooker or stovetop if you don’t have access to a pressure cooker?
Celeste says
Hi Ashley, Thank you for your wonderful recipes! I love your blog! The previous 2 recipes I made from your blog were amazingly flavorful but I made this last night with frozen onion masala and it was a bit bland. I reread the recipe and comments to try to figure out what I did wrong and I can’t figure it out. Do you have any thoughts?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Celeste, thank you for the kind words! I make this with onion masala often so I’m surprised it was bland – you used 1 cup, right? Are your spices still fresh? I know spices can make a big difference. Otherwise I’m really not sure…
Celeste says
Thank you so much for your reply! It’s quite possible I only used a 1/2 cup of onion masala which would explain the issue. I will try again and let you know 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Yes, that’ll fix it! Let me know how it goes 🙂
A says
Pretty good. Pleased with the results. I had the Raina soak for around 9 hours and followed the recipe as is and it came out well.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it!
Safa says
Delicious! A+ recipe. I tripled this recipe and it fit perfectly in my instant pot (right at the max line). The quantity was perfect for two meals for 9 people (6 adults and 3 kids). The second meal I froze for a busy night. Even though I tripled the recipe, it still cooked the same amount of time as the recipe calls for. I followed the recipe method and ingredients – the only difference is that I added for each recipe 1/2 tsp fennel, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom and 1 inch cinnamon stick at the same time when I was browning the cumin. I also used canned crushed tomatoes instead of puree. I served the rajma with white rice and spicy cabbage salad. I also served toppings for the rajma (chopped onion, chopped cilantro and chopped jalapenos). Yum! Thank you for this excellent recipe.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Safa, that’s awesome to hear! Thanks for letting us know how it turned out when you tripled it!
Yasmin says
I made this with 1 pound stew beef so put in IP on high pressure for 25 min and then added canned kidney beans and 1 pound of frozen spinach for 10 min on high pressure after and it was excellent. Definitely will be making again. I had decreased the water by 1/2 cup to account for the water from the frozen spinach.
For those that want to use canned kidney beans, 10 minutes on high pressure is good. Still retains shape but super soft.
Thank you for posting this recipe! The masala was spot on!
Rani says
What would be the cooking time if I used tinned kidney beans? Thank you
Puneet Ramaul says
This is such an amazing recipe! So easy yet so tasty. Loved what I cooked. 🙂
Thank you for sharing and making the first ever dish I cooked in my instant pot a benchmark..
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Puneet, I’m so glad you made and loved the rajma! I hope you’ll let me know if you try any other recipes from my site 🙂
Rajinder Nagi says
Hi Ashley, how are you?
Made rajma today and used your onion masala and they came out yum….. definitely make it again.
Thank you for another yummy recipe as always😊
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how the rajma turned out for you 🙂 Always nice to read your reviews!
Viji says
Hi Ashley,
My family loves your Rajma recipe, so much so that its running out quickly 🙂 I’d love for the dish to last 2 meals.
Can I double the recipe? Should I change the cooking time? Any inputs/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the tried and tested amazing recipes!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Viji! I haven’t tried doubling this, but I’m sure it’ll be fine to do so – I would double all of the ingredients but keep the cooking time the same. Hope that helps. Glad you and your family like this so much 🙂
Nikita says
Can you please confirm the steps to make this using onion masala?
Add oil and cook cumin
Then add in frozen onion masala, spices, water and rajma
Pressure cook
Just wanted to make sure I understand the modified recipe, seems like a quick dump and go meal! Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Nikita, sorry for the late reply but yes that’s right! Did you end up trying it this way? If so, hope you loved it! 🙂
Maneesha says
Hands down, this is one of my fav recipes on your blog, Ashley!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Maneesha! I’m glad you like this one so much 🙂
Sara says
This site is a lifesaver! I’m a vegetarian and need help with pulses and beans. Just got an electric pressure cooker and this makes me feel confident about using it.
Thank you!
I have a question, how big is the pot you’re using and how many does this serve?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Sara! I have a 6 quart instant pot. This will serve 5-6. Hope you love it!
Kriti says
As always your Insta-recipe saved the day for me! After a long day of work, your quick and yummy recipes are the best to cook, loved by my family. This soaked rajma with onion masala was no exception! I added a little unsalted butter at the end to add that silky smooth gravy. Also I would like to thank you for introducing the ‘onion masala’, master hack of desi curries, to us!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Kriti, that’s great to hear! Glad your family is enjoying the recipes 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how much you like this rajma recipe!
Diana says
This looks really good. Will I get a burn notice if I mix the tomato in with the beans? Tomato products can be problematic with the instant pot
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Diana, I’ve made this recipe many times and haven’t gotten a burn error so hopefully it’ll be fine for you too 🙂
Preetha says
This was a great recipe and so, so easy to put together! The only thing I did differently was to cook it for an hour simply because I like the beans to be super soft. The next time, I think I’ll add some cumin powder.
Thanks, Ashley, for another great recipe! 😊
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Preetha! I’m so glad you liked the rajma 🙂
Sibi says
Hi Ashley. I love all your recipes. Thank you for making Indian cooking so much easier. Quick question, i have some canned organic Kidney beans. Can I make this recipe with the canned beans and if so how long should I cook it for? thanks much.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Sibi! I haven’t tried this with canned rajma, but since canned beans are already cooked I would try reducing the cook time – to maybe 10 minutes, to help the other flavors come together well. Let me know if you try this and how it goes!
Nivea says
Lovely recipe 👌 perfect taste no need to modify anything even salt was perfect 🤩
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Nivea! Happy to hear that you like the rajma recipe 🙂
Flanny says
I made the rajma with pre-made onion masala – it turned out great! I made double the quantity thinking I would try to freeze some but it all got eaten.
I used unsoaked beans and double the quantity so I followed the commenter above and did 75 min in instant pot.l, but it needed another 10 minutes (i added another half cup of water as well when I did the additional time).
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Flanny, that’s so great to hear! And good to know about the cook time for unsoaked beans when doubling this recipe. Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Katherine M says
Make this one all the time. So good!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Katherine, happy to hear you like the rajma so much! 🙂
Sharan says
Ashley, this rajma recipe is fantastic! I make it at least once every two weeks.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sharan, that’s so nice to hear 🙂 Thank you for letting me know how much you like the rajma!
Dipti says
Hi Ashley, I loved your recipes. I have one question. I happen to soaked much more Rajma. Do you know how to preserve soaked Rajma until I cook them again?
Thank you in advance
My Heart Beets says
Hi Dipti, I haven’t tried this but if I were in this position, I’d drain the rajma and then freeze it. Sorry for the late reply but I hope that helps for next time!
LC says
I love this recipe! I only have pinto beans at home today, but craving this. Would it taste ok with pinto beans instead of kidney beans?
Rahul Raj says
Writing this on 27th April 2020 under Covid19 lockdown, ‘survival cooking’ & an obsessive scrolling of the ‘net on food, etc. It is good that you have mentioned about the toxin ‘phytohaemagglutanin’ in this bean. It is puzzling that having having consumed this bean over all this years, both ‘grandma knowledge’ and scientific dietary data have not cautioned us sufficiently about the dangers of eating red-kdney beans uncooked/partly-cooked (anything less than 30 min boiling 100°Centigrade – FDA) !
Anu says
Hi Ashley!
I normally do not comment or review many things out of sheer laziness (bad I know) but I just had to thank you soooo much for posting this amazingly simple and delicious recipe!
I have never ever made anything indian in my life and I was always intimidated to try because well growing up in an indian household there was always so much pressure around being a great indian cook so I just skipped the effort altogether.
For some reason I thought now that I’m in my 30s and own an instapot, I should try to make something and hour rajma recipe was one of the first to pop up.
I cannot tell you enough, on the first try of this dish, my rajma came out soooo delicious I was shook! I made everyone in my family try to make sure it was I fact as good as I thought it was and they all agreed (and highly shocked that I actually made something indian and delicious)
I’ve already made this twice and it’s been heaven!
Thank you and def going to try many more of your recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Anu! Thank you so much for taking the time to review this rajma recipe – I loved reading yours! I can’t wait to hear what you think of other recipes you try from my blog 🙂
Jen says
This is the 2nd dish I/ve made from your website and it was *perfect*. I did forget to soak my beans the night before, but I did the quick soak method (but I soaked after the boil for about 3 hours) and it was so delicious. I also made chana masala. I’m thrilled with your website and recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Jen, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked the rajma 🙂 Glad you liked the chana masala too. I hope you’ll let me know what you think of other recipes you try!
Hitee says
Hi Ashley,
I’ve recently discovered your blog and it’s been such a wonderful and delicious addition to our weekly meals. Thanks for all your hard work!
Rajma is something I grew up eating, but we did make it pretty soup-y (which is how I like it). Any suggestions on how I could make it so? Is it just a matter of adding more water?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Hitee, I’m so glad you found my blog and are enjoying my recipes! Yes just add more water at the end 🙂 You can do this with any of my dal/legume recipes – I know consistency is always a matter of preference. Hope that helps!
Pavithra says
This is such a good recipe and the end product is bursting with flavor. I am so not a good cook, and additionally had to substitute a 14oz can of diced tomatoes in place of the fresh tomato puree, but the dish tasted amazing (poor planning!). Thanks for helping me add one more dish to my repertoire!
My Heart Beets says
Pavithra, thank you!! Really happy to hear that you liked it so much!
Daphne says
Do you have this available to pin on Pinterest?
My Heart Beets says
It should be working – it is for me but I’m sorry it’s giving you trouble! I’ll ask my web team to check this out, thank you for letting me know!
Joe says
Thank you so much. My family loves this recipe and your site is amazing. I fell in love with Indian food a few years back through an old girlfriend and have really enjoyed being able to make dishes I can’t find at our local restaurant.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Joe, I’m so happy to hear that you and your family like the rajma so much! Glad you’re liking my blog too – hope you’ll let me know what other recipes you try 🙂
JS says
This was the most amazingly creamy rajma I’ve ever had. So satisfying! Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face.
My Heart Beets says
JS, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how the rajma turned out for you 🙂
Harjot says
How much onion masala is needed to cook 4 cups a of kidney beans?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Harjot, I just updated the recipe card with how to use onion masala in this recipe 🙂
Sanj says
Hi there! I made two recipes from your website last night and they turned out great, so I am back looking for more things to make! I had a few questions regarding this recipe. First, can I use ginger past and garlic paste instead of fresh minced ginger and garlic? Second, can I use canned tomato puree instead of fresh tomato? Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Sanj, that’s awesome! I’m so happy you liked the recipes you made and are back for more 🙂 Yes you can use paste instead of minced! And yes, you can use canned puree – since canned puree is already cooked down, you don’t need to saute it further and you may also need less since again, it’s cooked down. Maybe try half the can? I’m sure it’ll turn out great – let me know!
Julie Irvine says
Made this tonight, with jalapeño, and it was so delicious! Better than paying $12 for it at the local Indian place. I recommend it to anyone. Can’t wait to share it with friends!
My Heart Beets says
Julie, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the rajma! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Eden says
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! I just made it, and my husband and I absolutely loved it! I doubled the recipe, and used dried beans. I added 1 extra cup of water and I set the time to 75 mins, and let it release naturally. The beans were perfectly cooked, and the flavors were outstanding! I will definitely be making this again and again!
My Heart Beets says
Eden, I’m so glad you and your hubby loved the rajma!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you guys 🙂
Harpreet says
I love this recipe! It’s become a favorite. How many servings does this provide? I’m cooking for 13 people and am trying to calculate the quantities I’ll need of each ingredient!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Harpreet! I’d say it serves 5 people depending on what else you’re serving. Let me know how it goes!
V says
Hi, I like your blog, easy to follow and recipes ( what I have tried) tastes great. Can you please post some easy chaat recipes ? Thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
I’ll add that to my list!
Lee says
I love this recipe! The flavor is amazing, the beans are super buttery and delicious, and it makes a TON for two people. I usually freeze half, and it thaws and reheats like a champ!
I’ve taken the less-work route and used canned tomato puree (a 28oz can is a little more than two cups’ worth, and to avoid waste, I just dump it all in), and I’ve used about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. cayenne when I forget to buy a Serrano. Even with extra tomato puree, I find it isn’t too runny! It’s always incredibly satisfying; this one is hands down a winner at our house.
My Heart Beets says
Lee, I’m so happy to hear that you like the rajma so much! And great to know that you like it with the tomato puree – thanks for sharing that 🙂
Drew says
Just made this a couple of days ago, but with a few variations. I doubled the recipe, which just fit under the “Max PC” line in the IP. I halved the oil and salt (proportionally), and might reduce them further next time, perhaps adding some lemon juice to make up for the salt. I also seeded the pepper (a Serrano) because it was pretty lively and my wife does not love spicy food. However I also added a fairly healthy pinch of a very hot Cayenne, so the result was far from bland. I added too much ginger due to difficulty estimating what would make up two (or in my case 4) teaspoons. This (or something) caused a very faint bitter note, but it wasn’t strong enough to detract from the deliciousness and it disappeared after the dish aged overnight. Bottom line: We loved this recipe and will be making it often. Thanks for sharing it!
My Heart Beets says
So glad to hear that you liked the rajma 🙂
Cam says
I’ve been looking in the instructions for details about how to make the tomato puree, but I haven’t seen anything. Do you just chop up a whole tomato and put it in the food processor? Or do you need to remove the skin and/or seeds? Sorry if it’s a silly question! 😉
My Heart Beets says
No questions are silly! By fresh tomato puree I just mean to blend up tomatoes 🙂 1 pound of fresh tomatoes should yield around 2 cups of puree!
Judy says
Should I remove the seeds from the tomato before pureeing? And are Roma tomatoes
best to use? Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
You can keep the seeds in there – any tomatoes will work 🙂 I do love roma tomatoes though!
Barbara says
Hi Ashley, I’m making this right this minute – we are at pressure cook stage – my house smells amazing. Dumb newbie question: I’m new to the IP, and when I was sauteeing the tomato puree it was really boiling and splattering everything. I had left it on normal sautee, but should I have lowered it (actually I don’t even know if that can be done, have to check). So I probably sauteed the tomatoes less time than I should have. Or would that boiling have been ok? Thanks, love your recipes so much.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Barbara, all questions are good questions! So I usually leave it on normal/medium mode – maybe there was too much water content in the tomato puree? I haven’t had it splatter out of the pot like that when using the Instant Pot… were you using one smaller than a 6 quart by any chance? You can definitely lower it in the future and just saute for a few more minutes. I hope it turned out well, please let me know!
Roop says
Please keep posting more of the Punjabi traditional food you grew up with and how your parents made it 🙂 The way you include even the amount of salt in the recipe is so helpful 🙂 because most when I follow a recipe, the saltiness gets messed up more often resulting in not enough salt .
My Heart Beets says
Roop, I appreciate that and definitely will do so!! And I’m glad you like my salt suggestion – but please know you can always adapt to taste! My husband usually prefers even more salt so he adds it in to his plate at the end lol!
Roop says
The best Rajma I ever made 🙂 Thank you so much Ashley !! This is the second recipe I loved. The first one of punjabi chole is equally my family’s fav 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Roop, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know how much you like this recipe and the chole too!
Bradley says
I’ve made this recipe twice, adding chopped spinach the second time around. It is so delicious! I’m making it for a friend’s gathering in a week!
My Heart Beets says
Bradley, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 Love the idea of adding chopped spinach!
Athena Verma says
Hi Ashley – just wanted to check if the cup measurements in your recipes are IP cup measurements or US cup measurements? I hope to hear from you soon as my Rajma is soaked. You have great recipes. Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Athena! They are US cup measurements 🙂
Amit says
My mother-in-law was impressed! Enough said! The recipe rocks!
My Heart Beets says
Amit, that’s awesome!! I’m so glad you and your MIL liked it!!
Nitika says
Perfect Receipt !! I used my Instapot for first time and Rajma turned out really yummy. Only change I would suggest is 45 min pressure cook time and then sauté 15 min to ensure thick consistency.
Diana says
Since most of your recipes make about 3-4 servings, I doubled this recipe so I don’t have to cook for a couple of days 🙂 My husband absolutely loved it and said everything is perfect. Ate it with some achar and chewda on the side 🙂 Thanks for sharing your magic with us!
My Heart Beets says
Diana, that’s awesome!! I’m so happy you and your hubby like this recipe so much 🙂
Nataliya Kratsova Durocher says
Hi Ashley,
I am originally from Ukraine and admire Indian culture and food. I searched for the best receipt of kidney beans in IP and your web came up on the first page. I love cooking and as most of us, looking at the receipt we can tell how tasty it is going to be. Making your receipt of Rajma Kidney Beans now and cannot wait to taste this delicious food!
Looking forward to learn from your web about incredible taste of India.
Have a good day,
Nataliya
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nataliya! I’m so glad you found my blog! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe – do let me know how it turns out for you 🙂
Penina says
Dear Ashley – thanks for the info on phytohaemagglutinin – I referred to your site on NY Times recipe here https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019635-pressure-cooker-punjabi-rajma-indian-spiced-kidney-beans -under cooking notes. My husband is from Amritsar – so I must to live up to his mom’s impossibly high standards 🙂 Looking forward to making crispy okra, all the best!
My Heart Beets says
Penina, thank you!! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the okra!!
Priti Nuthakki says
Hi! have you gotten around to testing this with your onion masala?
My Heart Beets says
Not yet but I know others have been able to do it successfully so it can be done 🙂 When I try, I’ll be sure to update the post with exact amounts!
Saloni says
Hi Ashley!!
I’m based in England and got my IP four months ago but have to scared to even open it. Today I finislkt took the plunge! I did the initial water test and then used this Rajma recipe. What can I say? It’s brillianr and it worked perfectly! Thank you so much I’m now not afraid of my new IP!
My Heart Beets says
Saloni, I’m so happy to hear that you made this as your first IP recipe!! Impressive!! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Priti Nuthakki says
hi, did you ever end up trying this with the onion masala? 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Hi Priti, I know this is a very late reply but I finally got around to updating the recipe card with how to use onion masala (see the notes section in the recipe card). I use 1 cup of onion masala and omit the onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato puree. I leave everything else the same (for simplicity’s sake), and it’s great. Let me know what you think!
Mark Courtney says
Hi Ashley,
I was wondering if the puree is raw and cooks in the saute?
Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Mark, yes the puree cooks during the sauté step which is very important in my opinion. I actually tested it as a dump and go recipe and it wasn’t very good so you’ll definitely want to make sure to brown that onion puree a bit 🙂
Maneesha says
This is one of my all-time fav Indian recipes! It’s like comfort food for me! I love your recipe! <3
My Heart Beets says
Maneesha, so happy to hear that!! thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe 🙂
Denise says
I used dry beans and did not soak. I used 16oz of dried beans with 6 cups liquid. Cooked for 1 hour and natural pressure release for 20 minutes. Perfectly done!
My Heart Beets says
Denise, that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting us know how it turned out for you withoat soaking 🙂
S says
Excellent recipe! As Puja suggested, I used canned kidney beans and cut the water to 1 cup. I also pressure cooked in for 5 minutes and did 15 minutes of NPR. Thank you 😀
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Zalak says
Thank you Ashley for all the inspiring recipes using Instant Pot. I am a new owner of IP and wanted to ask what does it mean by naturally releasing the pressure. After the food is cooked, do we switch the steam release handle to venting immediately, or it switches automatically after the some time?
Again thank you for all mouth water recipes and can’t wait to try them all 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Zalak! So naturally releasing pressure or NPR means to just leave the handle in place (do not vent). You have to wait until the pin drops on it’s own. Hope that helps!
Chaya says
Hi Ashley,
Do you think this would work with canned tomato puree?
Thank you
My Heart Beets says
Hi Chaya! Yes, you can use canned tomato puree 🙂 I’d probably use half the amount or perhaps even a little less since the canned puree has already been cooked down. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Mini says
Just made this yummy Rajma. I used 1 cup of soaked Rajma and just 1/2 of everything else-turned out great!
Looking forward to trying some more of your recipies!
My Heart Beets says
Mini, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Catherine says
Really tasty and easy. I used canned kidney beans and just simmered it on the stove top. It turned out great.
My Heart Beets says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me/us know how it turned out this way Catherine!
Amit Bagaria says
Turned out amazing and matching what my mom makes. I definitely will vote this forward if anyone is looking for something that tastes great, easy to follow recipe with ingredients all identified.
Thanks for sharing and posting.
I personally soaked the beans for approx. 6 hours and added an extra cup of water just in case.
My Heart Beets says
Amit, I’m so happy to hear that you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Gagan Brar says
Hi Ashley,
Can I double this recipe in 6 quart instant pot?
I have already soaked 4 cups rajmah and debating if 6 quarts IP could handle this amount.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Gagan, so sorry for the late reply! Did you try this? I haven’t tried but I think it’ll be fine.
Dalbir says
Hi Ashley,
Love your recipes and can’t wait to try this. I have one question though – when you say you soak beans overnight – does that mean you leave it soaking for approximately 8 hours?
Thanks,
Dalbir
My Heart Beets says
Hi Dalbir, yes 8 hours is enough time 🙂 Let me know what you think of this!
RP says
I have made so far: InstantPot chicken curry, bhuna chicken (w onion masala), paneer. I haven’t tried the chicken because I’m vegetarian but the family liked. I have never ever used paprika – this is new from you and now I’ll experiment. So thanks for that. Mostly, thank you for your recipes which clearly you have tested and retested. So many recipes in books and online seem to have no correlation to the end product. Yours are dependable and I for one am very appreciative. Request – could you add easily-locate-able serving size information? How many servings of what size each recipe makes etc. Even without this information your recipes are so far priceless and till now the most followable and reliable I’ve seen. Thank you!!!
My Heart Beets says
Thank you so much for the kind words 🙂 I really appreciate it! I will work on adding serving sizes – thanks for the feedback 🙂
Amy Mayer says
I cooked this without soaking. I added two extra cups of water, but I should have just ordered one. I cooked it for thirty minutes, but there was so much liquid I put it on the stove top and simmered off the extra liquid. Thank you so much for the recipe. It’s the best thing I’ve ever cooked and even my sixteen year old liked it. We just stopped eating meat and this have us ask hope that we have not given up tasty food. I can’t thank you enough for posting this recipe!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you liked it Amy 🙂 I definitely recommend soaking it next time if you can!
Jenna says
Really enjoyed this recipe. My husband is Indian and rajma is his favorite comfort food. Thanks so much for this and all other instant pot recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Jenna, so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you and your hubby 🙂
Puja says
This came out great! I made it with 2 cans of kidney beans and did high pressure for 5 minutes, NPR for 15 minutes followed by a quick release. The flavors infused really well but I probably would recommend cutting the water down some. I used the exact proportions of everything else in your recipe and the gravy came out a little thin using the same amount of water. I don’t mind it— more for the rice to sop up 🙂 but if one likes a more traditional Rajma consistency, you should play around with a little less water. Love your recipes Ashley, can’t wait to keep trying out the rest. I absolutely love your khichdi, chai concentrate, butter chickpeas and now this!
My Heart Beets says
Puja, so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you with canned kidney beans! Since canned kidney beans area already cooked they don’t absorb water so that’s why there was extra water leftover – you can press sauté to boil it off if you use canned kidney beans again! So happy to hear you like my recipes 🙂 Can’t wait to hear about what else you make!
Heather says
Hey!
I am so happy I found your website!
I have tried for years to make rajma like my mother in law and have never came close, I made this recipe this last night and my husband loved it! Can’t wait to try out some more recipes!
Thank you!!
My Heart Beets says
Heather, so happy you found my website too!! And even happier that you and your hubby loved the rajma!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you guys 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of any other recipes that you try!
jay says
Hi Ashley,
I really enjoy reading your website. I recently acquired an instant pot pressure cooker and look forward to trying out other recipes as well.
Often, the Indian recipes list cumin or coriander seeds like this one for rajma curry. For those with diverticulitis issues who avoid tiny seeds, would grinding them with mortar and pestle have the same outcome?
Thank you, and keep up the great work. =)
Regards,
Jay
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Jay! I’m so happy to hear that you like my blog 🙂 I know this will require a lot more work but I would roast the whole spices in oil, allow them to cool down then grind them, then put them back in for the best flavor. I realize that may not always be practical though – in which case feel free to just use ground spices. It won’t taste exactly the same but I think it’ll still be good 🙂 Let me know what you think!
Rapinder says
Hey. Really fancy making this tomorrow. In our busy household I have tinned kidney beans. Any idea how much should adjust the cooking time for?
My Heart Beets says
Rapinder, canned kidney beans are actually already cooked – you can try 5-10 minutes – mainly to infuse flavor. Let me know how it goes!
Hannah says
Hi! I am a fan of your recipes!
I just made this dish with tinned / can of red kidney beans in pressure cooker for 7 minutes. Changes I had to make due to availability were: I had to grind my coriander and could not locate cumin seeds. I substituted with 1/2-3/4 tsp ground cumin.
I accidentally added too much garam masala. 🙁 Nonetheless, this was delicious!
Nikita says
Hi Ashley,
I have always cooked organic rajma (dry) with onion masala. You can too, use your onion masala receipe for the same. I use sauté mode to roast the onion masala till the oil separates. Then add all the dry spices. Add water as per need and manual for 18-20 min and let the pressure release naturally.
Note : I wash the Rajma and keep it aside to soak till my masala is browned so say Rajma is soaked for only for 10-12 min. Btw I love your blog and recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nikita, thanks so much for sharing how you make it! I appreciate it so much 🙂 I have been meaning to test this rajma recipe using onion masala to determine the exact quantity to use but haven’t gotten a chance to do so yet so this is helpful! Glad to hear you love the blog 🙂
Michelle says
Hi Ashley,
I want to try this with your onion masala. Could you provide an estimated quantity?
Thanks
My Heart Beets says
Hi Michelle, I plan on testing this out soon and will definitely post when I do! My guess though is 1 cup of masala – if you try it out, let me know how it goes!
Matthew Gwinn says
I did this last night and used about 1.5 cups of the onion masala because I wasn’t sure how much to use. It was definitely on the sweet side from the caramelized onion, but it was fantastic. I know this is far from traditional – and probably anathema to some, but I then proceeded to use the leftovers to make my own version of your “Indian Shakshuka” using rajma as a base (but I added a layer of spinach over the rajma and let it wilt before adding the eggs on top). Oh my goodness. So rich.
My Heart Beets says
Rajma shakshuka sounds brilliant!! I will definitely have to give that a try – yum!
Randhir says
Hi, I haven’t been able to find this variation with the onion masala yet. Have you published it? I saw you mention one cup of masala. Which ingredients would it replace?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Randhir, I added a note in the recipe card about using onion masala – I use 1 cup of onion masala and omit the onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato puree. I leave everything else the same (for simplicity’s sake), and it’s great. Let me know what you think!