Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry)
Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry) features tender kidney beans simmered in a rich onion, ginger, and garlic base layered with warming spices and tomatoes. The sauce is hearty, lightly smoky from dried chiles, and finished with garam masala for depth and a hint of heat. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it shines with steamed rice or warm flatbreads.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook1 hr
- Serves8
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 53 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 100 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 43
- Heart Health
- 55
- Metabolic
- 29
- Digestive
- 26
- Inflammatory
- 31
- Performance
- 46
- General Wellness
- 1
Place the kidney beans in a large container and cover them with several inches of cool water; let them stand for 8 hours or overnight.
- 2
Drain and rinse.
- 3
Grind the onion, ginger, and garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle.
- 4
Heat the oil and ghee together in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
- 5
Fry the red chile peppers, cumin seeds, and whole cloves in the hot oil until the cumin seeds start to splutter; stir in the onion paste and cook, stirring often, until golden brown.
- 6
Season with the ground turmeric, ground cumin, and ground coriander; cook for a few more seconds, then add the tomatoes.
- 7
Cook until the tomatoes are completely tender.
- 8
Add the drained kidney beans to the pressure cooker with enough water to cover; pour in the 2 cups water as well.
- 9
Add the sugar and salt.
- 10
Close the pressure cooker and bring it to 15 pounds of pressure; cook for about 40 minutes.
- 11
Lower the heat to low and cook another 10 to 15 minutes.
- 12
Release the pressure and open the cooker.
- 13
Stir the garam masala and ground red pepper into the beans; garnish with chopped cilantro to serve.
- Calories 136.98 kcal Moderate 7%
- Protein 3.52 g Low Source 7%
- Carbohydrate 18.72 g 7%
- Total Fat 5.59 g Moderate 7%
- Saturated Fat 1.44 g Moderate 7%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 3.31 mg Low Source 1%
- Sodium 195.96 mg Moderate 9%
- Dietary Fiber 3.79 g Moderate 14%
- Total Sugars 5.84 g --
- Added Sugars 2.48 g Low Source 5%
- Calcium 42.95 mg Low Source 3%
- Iron 1.62 mg Low Source 9%
- Potassium 329.71 mg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin A 95.17 mcg Moderate 11%
- Vitamin C 10.98 mg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry) is made with 19 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Diced Tomatoes, Dried Chile Peppers, Dried Kidney Beans, and Fresh Cilantro. Each serving provides about 136.98 kcal.
Recipe Questions
- What is Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry) made of?
- The main ingredients are Diced Tomatoes, Dried Chile Peppers, Dried Kidney Beans, Fresh Cilantro, Fresh Ginger. The full list of 19 is above.
- How long does it take to make Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry)?
- About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 1 hr to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 136.98 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 13 steps.
- Is Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry) healthy?
- Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Curry) has an easyChef Pro health score of 47/100. Per serving, it provides 136.98 calories and 3.52 g of protein, or 7% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 195.96 mg (9% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.44 g (7% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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