KIDNEY BEANS MASALA | RAJMA MASALA RECIPE

I grew up in south India in my childhood I never had this Rajma/Kidney Beans. May be that time Kidney beans was not available in all parts of India or may be my mom was not aware of this bean! This dish was introduced by my North Indian friend when we had a party at her home. We all really liked the flavorful creamy texture rich gravy Rajma Masala and I learned the recipe from her. It is the cooking process of raw onion and all spices which makes it so unique and irresistible. Nothings beat the flavorful taste of Rajma which marinates with fresh cream and spices.

Ingredients:

Rajma /Kidney Beans – 1 cup
Indian Bay Leaf – 2 leaves
Onion – 1 big no.
Tomato – 2 big no.
Ginger and garlic paste – 1 tsp each
Jeera /Cumin Seeds – 2 tsp
Garam Masala – 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Coriander seeds Powder – 1 tsp
Kasoori Methi/ Fenugreek leaves Powder– 1 tsp
Whole Milk/ Cream – ½ cup
Salt to Taste

Method:
Step 01) Wash the Rajma/Kidney beans and soak them for 4 hrs and cook them in pressure cooker up to 3 whistles along with bay leaves. If you forgot to soak then cook them up to 5 whistles using 2" water on top of rajma. Discard the bay leaves and reserve the cooked water for later use.

Step 02) Heat the pan with 2 tsp of oil and add the cumin seeds once it is crackled add puree of onion and saute  them for 3 minutes. Or you can add the chopped onion instead

  

Step 03) Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes and then add all the masala powders like garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander seeds powder and salt; fry them nicely till raw smell disappears. (Adding all the masalas in onion gravy gives an authentic taste to the curry).

 

Step 03) Add the puree of tomato and fry them for 2 more minutes 

 

Step 04) Add the kidney beans, add 1 cup pf cooked water of kidney beans and whole milk or cream (adding milk/cream is what gives the rich creamy texture to the curry) cover the lid and cook for 5 more minutes so that all rajma beans nicely marinated with the masala and creamy gravy.

 

Serving: Serve with chapatti or with steamed rice.

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Ragi Mudde and Soppina Saaru/Huli

Other main crops like wheat, Rice, Corn etc.,  In India, finger millet (locally called as Ragi, Nachani, Kezhvaragu) is mostly grown and leading producer in state of Karnataka. We can prepare from Ragi all kinds of dishes like Dosa, Idli, Roti, Chapati, Porridge, Cake, Puddings, Laddu and Cookies. One such simple dish is Ragi Balls/Ragi Mudde (ರಾಗಿ ಮುದ್ದೆ) is a very popular Karnataka dish. Ragi Mudde which is prepared by cooking the Ragi flour with water to achieve dough like consistency. Which is then rolled into 'balls' of desired size and consumed with Sambar or Soppina Saaru/Huli. Here is how to make this delicious super healthy mudde/balls at home with this easy recipe.

As per Wikipedia, the  nutrition value of Finger millet is very high in calcium, rich in iron and fiber, and has better energy content than other cereals. These characteristics make it ideal for feeding to infants and the elderly. So add this in weekly menu list to get most health benefits. 

Ragi Mudde

Ingredients:

• Ragi/ Finger Millet Flour – 1 cup
• Salt – 1tsp
• Water

Method:

Step 01) Take a bowl and add ragi flour/finger millet flour and salt without lumps mix it with 1 cup of water 

Step 02) Put a reasonable sized heavy bottom pan on the range and heat 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil. Keep the flame in medium and then add the ragi flour mixture leave it for 2 minutes or when it starts bubbling stir it  

Step 03) Keep the flame in low and cook them for about 10 minutes. Stirring the dough make sure it should not stick to the pan or burned the dough. Touch your fingers in cold water (care full not to burn your fingers while touching the mudde) and pinch a small ball from the dough for taste. The ragi ball should not be rubbery in texture, if so keep cooking the ragi ball till you achieve the proper stage that is it should not stick to your teeth and it makes nice shiny dough.

Soppina Saaru

Ingredients:

• Palak/Spinach or any available green leaves – 2 to 3 Cups (chopped)
• Onion – 1 Big Size
• Tomato – 1 Medium

~ For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Urud Dal / White gram Split - 1 tsp
• Garlic – 3 Flakes
• Green Chili - 1 no.

~ For Masala Powders:

• Imli/Puli/Tamarind Juice – ½ cup
• Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
• Sambar Powder – 2 tsp
• Hing/ Asafetida – Pinch
• Jaggery (Sweetener from sugar cane juice) – small piece
• Salt to Taste

Method:

Step 01) Wash and chop the spinach or any other available green leaves (Keerai varieties) 
Step 02) Put a reasonable pan, heat oil for seasoning and add the seasoning seeds, garlic, green chili and allow them to splutter
Step 03) Add onion fry till pink and add tomato and saute them till it turns mushy.
Step 04) Add the palak/Spinach and cook them till becomes ¼ of its size 
Step 05) Add the tamarind juice and all the masala powders, jaggery, salt and 1 cup of water and bring them to boil

Isn't it so easy to prepare?  Enjoy the simple and healthy Soppina Saaru:)

 

 

Serving:  Soppina Saaru/Huli is the best combination for Ragi Mudde.

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Pumpkin Spicy Curry

Here is one more version of Pumpkin Spicy Curry. This recipe uses onion, tomato, fennel seeds and garlic for extra flavorful taste. This curry can be served with rice, chapatti or roti.(Indian Bread)

Check out some other Pumpkin recipes which i tried:

Pumpkin kootu / Pumpkin Curry

Poosanikai/ Kaddu/ Pumpkin Masala Sabzi 

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Pumpkin curry in Rajasthani Style

Pumpkin Masala Sabzi

Pumpkin Beans/Mixed Pulses Sabzi

Ingredients:

Pumpkin chopped - 2 cups

Onion (medium size) - 1 no

Tomato – 1 no

Garlic – 2 to 3 flakes

Sauf/Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 3 to 4 leaves

For Seasoning:

Mourie/ Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

For Masala Powders:

Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds Powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

 Method:

Step 01) Clean the inner part of the pumpkin and cook it in microwave for 4 mins.  with outer skin. Once it is boiled it is very much easy to peel off the thick outer skin. Dice it and keep it aside

 

Step 02) Heat a pan add sauf/fennel seeds and garlic and fry for 2 mins. Then fry onion till transparent then add tomato, curry leaves

 

  

Step 03) When tomato turns mushy add all masala powders and cook till raw masala smell disappears. Let it cool and then grind it.

 

Step 04) In the same pan add oil for seasoning and add the seeds and allow them to splutter. Add grounded paste and ½ cup water and add the boiled pumpkin and cook for 5 mins so that all masalas gets into pumpkin.

 

Serving: Serve with steam rice, chapati or toti.

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Raw/ Green Papaya Curry

Though there are many varieties of curries you can prepare in Raw Papaya in Kerala Cuisine, but this variety is one of our favorite. This is somewhat like Aviyal recipe. Generally in Aviyal, gravy is cooked in curd with boiled vegetables but here gravy is cooked first to remove the raw smell of onion then adding the curd & boiled raw papaya to the curry. Its rich flavor makes it suitable to be served with any Indian food like Chapati, Roti, Rice and even with Adai.

Papaya has many health benefits like it improves digestion, eye health, protects from cancer, it regulates the women’s menstruation, even it helps in diabetes and more importantly it helps to weight loss. Eating papaya regularly in our diet gives an amazing health benefits.

Ingredients:

Raw Papaya - 2 cups (chopped)

Beaten sour Curd - 1 cup

Rice Flour - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

>For Grinding:

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Dry Red Chilies - 3 to 4 nos. (As per taste)

Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp

Medium size Onion - 1 no.

>For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

Dry Red Chili Peppers - 1 No.

Curry Leaves - 4 to 5

Step 01) Cut the papaya in to half and remove the seeds and inner layer skin and scrap away the outer skin nicely and then chop them in to 1" lengthwise 

Step 02) Cook them in a microwave safe bowl for about 10 mins. (This saves the cooking time) and drain the water for later use

 

Step 03) Blend the red chili pepper, jeera/cumin seeds, coconut and onion into fine paste using little water (for grinding use 1/2 cup of drained water of cooked papaya)

 

Step 04) Heat a pan add coconut oil for seasoning (this gives Kerala cuisine style authentic taste) or use vegetable oil add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter followed by red chili and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Add the blended gravy mixture and cook till raw smell of onion disappear 

Step 05) Add the cooked papaya and mix it well

Step 06) Add the whisked curd (use sour curd for better taste)

 

Step 07) Take a small bowl add tbsp of rice flour and 1/4 cup of drained water mix it without lumps and add it on curry and mix well (This gives the thick consistency to the curry)

 

Serving: Serve with Chapati or Rice. It goes nice with Adai too :)

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Capsicum Masala Curry

                     

Sweetness of capsicum, tomatoes tangyness, mixture of sesame seeds and peanut powder with spices provide nice flavored delightful experience satisfies your taste buds.

Ingredients:
Capsicum diced - 2 no.
Onion(chopped)  - 1 no.
Tomato (chopped) - 1 no.
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic - 2 flakes
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for seasoning
Water - 1 cup

~ For Masala Gravy:
Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Coconut grated - 1/4 cup
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Whole Red Chili - 2 nos.


Direction:

Step 01) Heat a pan and add sesame seeds, coriander seeds, peanuts and whole red chilies and roast them nicely make sure not to burn them. Transfer it to plate let them cool and then grind adding coconut grated

Step 02) Heat a pan with 1 tsp of oil in medium flame add cumin seeds allow them to crackle then add onion and garlic fry till slightly pink. Add tomato, capsicum and salt saute till it turns to  tender

Step 03) Add the blended paste and water mix it nicely. Add the turmeric powder, sugar and lemon juice and cook them for 3 to 4 mins till gravy gets little thick

Step 04) Turn off the flame and transfer it serving bowl and serve hot with chapati/ Laccha paratha

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