Can I use canned kidney beans?
Yes. Drain and rinse 2 × 400g cans. Skip the boiling step. The sauce will be slightly less thick since you won't have the starchy cooking liquid — compensate by mashing more beans at the end.
Indian · dinner
Rajma: Red Kidney Beans in the Punjabi Way
#indian#vegetarian#punjabi#kidney-beans#dinner
75m
Total time
4
Servings
380
kcal
easy
Difficulty
May 20, 2026
INGREDIENTS.
4
Pantry
- 250 g dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 40 ml neutral oil
- 1.5 tsp salt
Spice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
Produce
- 2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 20 g fresh ginger, grated
- 400 g tomatoes, finely chopped
- 20 g fresh coriander, chopped
Dairy
- 20 g butter
THE METHOD.
tap to check off
0/6 done
FAQ · Things people ask
About this recipe.
How long can rajma be stored?
It keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes very well for up to 3 months. The beans continue to absorb the masala overnight, which improves the flavour.
What makes Punjabi rajma different from other bean dishes?
The onion-tomato base is cooked much darker and longer than in most other cuisines — until it turns brick-red and the oil separates — which gives the sauce its deep, slightly caramelized backbone. The spicing is warm and cumin-forward rather than chili-forward.
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