Indian · Punjab · main
Rajma (Red Kidney Beans in Onion and Tomato)
Rajma (Red Kidney Beans in Onion and Tomato) reads richness 5.1, allium 4.6 and salinity 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian · Punjab main, about 2 hr 13 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 3.9 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.0 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 3.2 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.6 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 5.4 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Richness 5.1 · Allium 4.6 · Salinity 3.6 · Warm Spice 3.5 · Heat 3.1 · Sourness 2.9 · Nutty 2.8 · Umami 2.6 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Sweetness 2.4 · Earthy 2.4 · Fruity 2.1 · Floral 1.8 · Bitterness 1.2 · Citrus 0.8
What's in it (17)
- red kidney beans — 300 g
- water — 1200 g
- bay leaf — 1 g
- cinnamon — 2 g
- salt — 10 g
- ghee — 54 g
- cumin seeds — 5 g
- onions — 350 g
- ginger paste — 15 g
- garlic puree — 15 g
- tomatoes — 450 g
- turmeric — 5 g
- ground coriander — 15 g
- chilli powder — 5 g
- garam masala — 5 g
- dried mango powder — 3 g
- coriander — 11 g
Time & effort: about 2 hr 13 min (2 hr 12 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 80.1 kcal, 3.4 g protein, 2.9 g fat, 11 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (7 steps)
- Drain the soaked beans and boil them hard in the fresh water with the bay leaf, cinnamon and salt for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and cook 60 to 75 minutes until a bean crushes to cream between finger and thumb. Keep the cooking liquid; it is the body of the dish.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy pan, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and darken for 25 seconds.
- Add the onions and fry 15 minutes over medium heat until they are properly brown, not just soft. Undercooked onion is why most rajma tastes thin.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic pastes and cook 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
- Add the pureed tomatoes, turmeric, ground coriander and chilli powder and cook 12 to 15 minutes, until the mixture darkens and the ghee separates and pools at the edge of the pan.
- Tip in the beans with about 500 ml of their cooking liquid, mash a ladleful against the side of the pot to thicken the gravy, and simmer 25 minutes.
- Finish with the garam masala and amchur, scatter over the coriander, and serve with rice.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Baingan Bharta (Fire-Roasted Aubergine) — Indian · Punjab
- Crispy Potato-Paneer Dumplings in Cashew-Tomato Cream Sauce — Indian
- Palak Paneer with Garlic Naan — Indian
- Palak Paneer — Indian
- Run Down (Rundown) — Jamaican
Keep reading: what richness, allium, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.