Move over, Chana Masala. There’s another Indian bean dish that deserves some spotlight.

Meet Rajma Masala, the lesser-known curry with larger-than-life flavor that’s about to rock your world.

I like to think of it as India’s version of chili; big, bold flavors, layered and simmered so they meld, mingle, and mature into something velvety, rich, and deeply comforting.

Make room in your heart because it’s time to fall in love with this luxurious, restaurant-quality Rajma Masala (that happens to be gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and packs in 26 grams of fiber per serving!).

Where’ve you bean all my life? Continue your love affair with Indian bean/legume dishes and try a few more faves from the RPL archives, like my creamy chickpea curry, braised Indian chickpea stew, dal palak (spinach dal), or red lentil curry!

overhead view of rajma masala topped with yogurt, tadka and cilantro in a saucepan.

🎥 Watch the video

The Indian Bean Dish Better Than Chana Masala
The Indian Bean Dish Better Than Chana Masala

With over 350K views on Youtube, this rajma recipe is a huge hit with my community. I hope you love it just as much!

Rajma Masala 101

Originating in North India, particularly in the Punjab region, rajma masala is a kidney bean curry (rajma means “kidney beans” in Hindi).

The process of making rajma masala boils down to three steps plus an optional fourth step, each with an associated “key to success” which takes the final dish from “good” to “life-changing.”

1. Cook the kidney beans

Key to success: Cook dried beans from scratch.

Why? The velvety texture of rajma masala is a hallmark of the dish—you simply cannot get it with canned beans. Dried beans release their starches into the liquid as they cook, making the beans creamy and the cooking liquid rich and thick. 

2. Make the tomato-onion masala

Keys to success: Dice finely or puree, and take the time to cook both the onion and tomato down.

Why? Finely-diced onions melt into the masala, and browning them adds sweet-savory depth to the masala. Pureeing the tomatoes helps them melt into the masala and cooking them down concentrates their flavor. 

3. Combine the beans and the masala

Key to success: Toss the beans in the masala first, then add the cooking liquid. 

Why? Adding the beans by themselves allows them to get coated in the flavors of the masala before being doused in liquid. Also, it’s what my mom does for similar dishes, and she is always right.

4. Finish with a tadka (optional) 

⭐Key to success: Keep things stirring to prevent burning! 

Why? Finishing this dish with a tadka—a tempered spiced oil—takes this dish from really good to really great. Just make sure you stir very frequently so the aromatics and spices don’t burn in the hot oil.

Keep reading for a walkthrough of the steps in detail and my tried-and-true tips for rajma masala magnificence!

close up overhead view of rajma masala topped with yogurt, tadka and cilantro.

Ingredient notes and substitutes 

rajma masala ingredients on a cutting board and in various small bowls on a table.
  • Dry kidney beans: Canned beans are a great convenient choice for so many recipes—but this is not one of them. The only way to achieve the signature texture and flavor of rajma is to cook dry kidney beans. As they cook, the beans get infused with the flavor of whole spices AND they release their starches into that liquid, making the resulting dish rich and flavorful. Plus, canned beans are too firm, so you’d have to simmer them until really soft anyways.  
  • The Holy Quaternity of Indian Cooking: If you’ve made my Indian recipes before, you may recognize that this refers to onions, garlic, ginger, and green chilies. They form the base of the masala and add tons of flavor.
  • Fresh tomatoes + tomato paste: We utilize both in the masala. The tomato paste adds a base layer of concentrated sweet-savoriness, and the fresh tomatoes get blitzed into a puree to add rajma’s signature tangy flavor. 
  • Whole spices: The dried beans get cooked with a cinnamon stick and Indian bay leaves (AKA tejpatta), and these same spices are used in the masala—plus cumin seeds and black cardamom pods, if you can find them! Black cardamom is often used in Punjabi-style rajma to add a slight smokiness and unique robustly savory flavor, though it’s optional here. Finally, dried fenugreek leaves (AKA kasuri methi) are used in the tadka, which adds a robustly savory finishing flavor. 
  • Ground spices: Some staples here: ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, and, optionally, a few pinches of asafetida (AKA hing), which contributes an umami onion-garlicky flavor when cooked. And finally the classic finishing spice used in most North Indian gravy-style dishes, garam masala, gets added in the tadka. 

Substitutes

You can find all of the spices in this recipe at your local South Asian grocer or online, but here are some substitute options. 

  • Don’t have Indian bay leaves / tejpatta? Use regular bay leaves. 
  • Can’t get black cardamom? Omit it (there’s no close substitute). 
  • Can’t handle spicy food? This recipe is designed to be moderately spicy. If you want zero heat, omit the chile peppers. If you want mild heat, use one pepper.
  • Fresh tomatoes not in season? Use canned whole peeled tomatoes and give them the same blitz in the food processor. 
  • No dried fenugreek leaves? There’s no real sub here, but you can double the amount of garam masala in the tadka. 
digital drawing of white and black beans.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email address and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, we’ll send you new posts and recipes!

Step-by-step instructions

person pouring water over dried kidney beans in a large glass bowl.
  1. Soak the beans: Cover with plenty of water and stir in 1 ½ TBSP kosher salt. Soak at room temp for 8 to 12 hours.
person draining soaked kidney beans in a colander.
  1. Drain the soaked beans and rinse well.
spoon adding cooked beans to a large pot of water.
  1. Cook the beans: Add the beans to a large saucepan with 9 cups (2.1 L) water, baking soda (optional), and oil. Skim off any thick foam as the beans come to a boil. Partially cover and boil for 10 minutes. 
cooked beans, water, salt, cinnamon stick and bay leaves in a pot.
  1. Reduce the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons kosher salt, the cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.
tender cooked beans on a spoon.
  1. Cook uncovered at a gentle simmer until the beans are tender and squishable between your fingers, but not mushy. 
person straining beans from cooking liquid with a colander fitted inside a glass bowl.
  1. Strain the beans from the cooking liquid but keep the liquid (discard the spices). 
oil, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom and cumin cooking in a frying pan.
  1. Make the masala: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium, then add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and black cardamom (optional). Stir for 30 to 45 seconds, then add the cumin seeds for 10 seconds.
onion and serrano peppers after being cooked with the mixture in the frying pan.
  1. Add the onion and serrano peppers and stir occasionally until the onions are browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
garlic-ginger paste and tomato paste added to the frying pan.
  1. Add the garlic-ginger paste and tomato paste. 
garlic-ginger paste and tomato paste after being cooked with the other ingredients.
  1. Stir almost constantly for 90 seconds.
tomato puree, salt and pepper added to the frying pan.
  1. Add the blended tomato puree, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes at a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally, until you have a concentrated dark red paste.
cooked tomato mixture with ground spices added.
  1. Add the ground spices—coriander, chili powder, cumin, turmeric, and optional asafetida—plus a big splash of water. 
cooked masala in frying pan.
  1. Stir frequently for 1 minute until thick and combined. 
beans and masala in a deep frying pan.
  1. Combine beans and masala: In the pan used for the beans (or other large, deep saute pan), combine the drained beans and masala. Toss the beans into the masala for 1 minute.
bean cooking liquid added to the beans and masala.
  1. Add the reserved bean-cooking liquid (4 ½ cups / 1.1L). If you have less than that amount of reserved liquid, top off with water.
stirred combined rajma masala ingredients in the deep frying pan.
  1. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, uncovering occasionally to stir.
person holding a cooking spoon with rajma masala over the pan.
  1. Uncover and rapidly simmer for 10 final minutes until you have a velvety gravy.
person pouring the tadka over the rajma masala.
  1. Remove from the heat and pick out the whole spices and chiles. 

    Stir in cilantro and lemon juice, and pour the tadka on top just before serving. 

Tips for making this recipe

For greatness, don’t skip the tadka 

I’ve kept the tadka optional because this dish is still good without it, but it really shines with it, so I’d recommend not skipping it.

In case you’re not familiar, a tadka simply refers to briefly cooking spices and sometimes aromatics in a fat source, then pouring the entire thing—oil and spices—over the final dish. The hot oil releases the fat-soluble oils in the spices AND the oil gets infused with the spices’ flavor, so it’s a win-win, adding tons of dynamic flavor to the finished dish. 

5 tips for the perfect beans

  1. Soak the beans in salty water. Beans are extremely dense and need salt from the get-go. Even a bangin’ masala can’t cure bland beans. Plus, soaking beans in salty water has been shown to make them more tender! 
  1. Add baking soda + oil to the bean-cooking water. Baking soda helps soften the beans faster (by about 20 minutes in my tests) and thickens their texture, making the final texture similar to chili. If you prefer a soupier texture, omit the baking soda. The oil helps minimize the amount of foam the beans release as they come to a boil. 
  1. Boil the beans for 10 full minutes. Raw kidney beans contain a toxin that can give you food poisoning, so boiling them for 10 minutes ensures the toxin is destroyed. I recommend keeping the beans partially covered during the boil so you don’t lose a ton of water to evaporation.
  1. Top off with water as needed. If not using baking soda, the beans will take longer to cook, and you may need to top off with fresh water to ensure they’re submerged. 
  1. Use texture as your doneness indicator. While I offer estimated times, they will vary based on how long you soaked the beans, whether you used baking soda, the freshness of your beans, etc. The beans are done when you can easily mash one between your fingers but before they become super mushy. 

After a 10-hour soak, I’ve found the below: 

  • With baking soda: 40 – 45 minutes of cook time
  • Without baking soda: 70 minutes of cook time

Want to make these beans in your Instant Pot? See the recipe card notes for detailed instructions!

cooked kidney beans in a colander.
the texture of the beans when done cooking
digital drawing of white and black beans.

When and how to multitask

There are several opportunities for “multitasking” in this recipe, by which I mean using inactive or mostly inactive cook time to do other prep work.

  1. While the beans cook… start prepping the masala ingredients! After you’ve boiled the beans for 10 minutes, you’ll add the whole spices and reduce the heat. The beans don’t need babysitting so use this time wisely! 
  1. While the onions brown… prep the garlic, ginger, and tomatoes! The onions need 12 – 15 minutes to brown and need only occasional stirring, so if you feel comfortable, use the time to blitz the garlic and ginger in the food processor and puree the fresh tomatoes.
  1. While the tomatoes cook… measure the ground spices in a bowl (and do some cleanup!). 
  1. While the rajma simmers… prep the tadka ingredients. Wait to actually cook the tadka (2 to 3 minutes) when the rajma is done so you can pour it on fresh. 

Prep ahead, if you want 

This dish, like a lot of Indian dishes, is a labor of love, so it’s not something you’d whip up on an average Tuesday night. That said, you can prepare lots of the items in advance to make this process more streamlined.

Cook the beans ahead of time. You can cook the beans and store them separately from the liquid and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.

Prep the aromatics: If you’re in the habit of doing a little meal prep on the weekend like I am, chop/blend all the aromatics. Store the onions and serrano peppers together in a ziploc bag, then in an airtight container (to prevent onion odor in the fridge). Store the garlic and ginger together and the tomato puree separately for 3 to 4 days.

rajma masala topped with yogurt and cilantro in a deep saute pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook the kidney beans using an Instant Pot?

Sure! See the notes at the bottom of the recipe card for detailed instructions.

Do I have to soak the beans before cooking them?

I highly recommend soaking. In my tests, kidney beans that were unsoaked cooked very unevenly: some were overcooked, while others were still very firm. 

This also applies to the Instant Pot—unsoaked kidney beans cooked very unevenly in our tests.

If you don’t have time to do a full soak, try a quick soak. Follow the instructions from the Food Network. 

I prefer my rajma soupier and less thick. How do I fix this?

First, omit the baking soda from the beans, as it tends to thicken and soften them into a more chili-like texture.

Two, the recipe calls for adding 4 ½ cups of cooking liquid, so you can start with 5 cups and add more water as needed.

Can I use canned beans instead of dried beans?

Technically, yes, but you won’t get the same level of flavor development and certainly not texture with canned beans. As dried beans cook, they release this thick starchy liquid, which helps thicken the rajma as it simmers so it turns velvety. Canned beans won’t be able to yield the same results.

Canned beans are also firmer than ideal for this recipe, so you might want to simmer everything longer to soften them.

If you do want to use canned beans, the equivalent would be four 15-ounce/425g cans.

I don’t have a mini food processor or blender to blend the garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. What should I do?

No problem. I use this simply to speed up the prep process, but you can definitely use a knife to finely chop the garlic and ginger and to finely chop the tomatoes.

Since this will take longer, you may need to prep these before cooking the masala instead of multitasking while the onions cook. 

How do I store leftovers? Can I freeze this?

Store leftover rajma in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. 

This is also a great candidate for freezing, especially because it makes a large quantity, and will stay good for 3 to 6 months—but it is best to not pour any tadka on the portion you plan to freeze. I like to freeze them in my Souper Cubes for easily portioned leftovers that are quick to defrost.

Reheating tip: The rajma thickens a lot as it sits in the fridge (from the bean starch), so you’ll want to loosen it with some water as you heat up leftovers.

How should I serve rajma masala?

This dish is typically served with rice (AKA rajma chawal), but you could also do flatbread (a batch of my homemade vegan naan would be divine but store-bought pita / naan is also great). 

I recommend dolloping some plain coconut yogurt on top for a cooling contrast (fave brands: Cocojune, Culina).

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can top it with raita. 

rajma masala topped with cilantro, tadka and yogurt in a deep saucepan on a table.

Swooning over this velvety rajma masala? Let me know by leaving a rating and review below! Reading your comments makes my day 🤗

Introducing

Big Vegan Flavor

Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.

Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry)

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Servings: 6 (makes 8 cups total)
4.9 from 40 votes

Made it? Click the stars to leave a review!

Kidney beans get a major glow up in this restaurant-style North Indian rajma masala. The beans are cooked with whole spices, then combined with a robust onion-tomato masala and simmered with the bean cooking liquid into a hearty, velvety gravy layered with spices and richness.
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Ingredients

For the kidney beans

  • 1 lb (450g) dried red kidney beans
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (see Note 1)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda (optional, see Note 2)
  • 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil
  • 1 (2 to 3”) cinnamon stick
  • 2 Indian bay leaves (AKA tejpatta; or regular bay leaves)

Whole spices and aromatics

  • 3 tablespoons (42g) neutral-flavored oil
  • 1 (2 to 3”) cinnamon stick
  • 2 Indian bay leaves (AKA tejpatta; or regular bay leaves)
  • 2 black cardamom pods, lightly pressed down on with your finger (optional, see Note 3)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (2 cups / 300g diced)
  • 1 to 2 serrano peppers, de-stemmed and slit open slightly (2 for spicy; omit for mild heat)
  • 6 cloves garlic smashed down to remove peels
  • 1" piece (8g) fresh ginger, peeled
  • 14 ounces (400g) ripe tomatoes (see Note 4)
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste

Ground spices

  • 1 ½ tablespoons (9g) ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (see Note 5)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • A few pinches asafetida (optional, for extra oomph)

Finishing

  • 1 cup (16g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
  • A few squeezes of lemon juice

Tadka

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) neutral-flavored oil (or vegan butter)
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced into thin matchsticks
  • 1" piece (8g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into very thin matchsticks
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your fingers (see Note 6)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

Instructions 

  • Soak: Cover beans with cold water, stir in 1½ TBSP kosher salt (see Note 1), and soak 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse.
  • Boil the beans: Add soaked beans to a large saucepan with 9 cups (2.1 L) water, the baking soda if using, and the oil. Bring to a boil (covering the pot speeds this up), skimming off thick foam. Partially cover and boil for 10 minutes.
  • Simmer the beans: Stir in 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 cinnamon stick, and 2 bay leaves. Reduce to a very gentle simmer (just a few tiny bubbles). Cook uncovered until beans mash easily between your fingers (don't overcook until mush though): for a 10 hour soak, this is ~40 to 45 minutes with baking soda, ~70 without.
  • Strain: Drain beans over a bowl, reserving the liquid; discard the spices. You want 4½ cups (1.1 L) liquid—top off with water if short. Keep beans and liquid separate.
  • Start the masala: Heat a large sauté pan over medium until hot, then add 3 TBSP oil. Once shimmering, add 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, and 2 black cardamoms (if using); stir 30–45 seconds until aromatic. Add 2 tsp cumin seeds and sizzle for 10 seconds.
  • Brown the onions: Add onion and serranos with a big pinch of salt. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until deeply browned, adding a splash of water if they brown unevenly.
    Meanwhile: In a mini food processor blender cup, blend garlic and ginger into a coarse paste; transfer to a bowl with the tomato paste; Then add the whole tomatoes to the machine and blend into a puree.
  • Build the base: Add the garlic-ginger-tomato paste mixture to the pan, stirring almost constantly for 90 seconds. Add the blended tomato purée, deglazing the pan with the liquid from the tomatoes; season with 1 tsp kosher salt and pepper to taste. Rapidly simmer ~10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have a concentrated, dark red paste.
    Meanwhile: Combine all the ground spices in a bowl.
  • Bloom the ground spices: To the pan, add the Ground Spices plus a big splash of water. Add the combined ground spices plus a big splash of water. Stir 1 minute until thick, then remove from heat.
  • Combine: In the large saucepan, combine the masala and drained beans over medium heat, tossing to coat for 1 minute. Add the reserved 4½ cups (1.1 L) liquid.
  • Simmer: Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and rapidly simmer for 10 minutes until the gravy has thickened.
    NOTE: If you didn’t use baking soda, mash ~10% of the beans against the pan to thicken.)
    Meanwhile: Prep the Tadka ingredients.
  • Finish: Off the heat, fish out the bay leaves, cinnamon, serrano, and cardamom. Stir in cilantro and a few squeezes of lemon. Set aside while you make the Tadka.
  • Make the Tadka: Add the oil or butter to a cold small saucepan, then turn to medium heat. Once shimmering or melted, add garlic and ginger; stir 1 to 2 minutes until the ginger frizzles at the edges. Add fenugreek, garam masala, and chili powder; stir for 20 to 30 seconds, then pour over the rajma.
  • Serve: Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Serve with rice or flatbread, and yogurt if desired. It thickens as it rests, so loosen with water as needed.

Video

The Indian Bean Dish Better Than Chana Masala
The Indian Bean Dish Better Than Chana Masala

Notes

  1. Salt: Amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Use roughly half if using table salt, sea salt, or Morton’s kosher salt.
  2. Baking soda: Softens the beans faster and thickens the rajma to a stew/chili texture. For a soupier result, skip it but use 10–11 cups (~2.5 L) water to offset the longer cook and extra evaporation.
  3. Black cardamom: Adds a smoky, savory depth typical of Punjabi rajma, but optional. Lightly crack the pods with your fingers — don’t fully crush or pound the pods, as the aroma can be overpowering.
  4. Tomatoes: No good fresh ones? Use 14 oz (400g) canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed or puréed.
  5. Kashmiri chili powder: A mild Indian red chili powder. Substitute 1½ tsp sweet or hot paprika plus ¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper.
  6. Fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi): Bring a bold, savory note to North Indian dishes. Find them at South Asian grocers or online.
  7. Instant Pot beans: Soak per step 1. Add drained beans, 1 tsp oil, 2 tsp salt, cinnamon, and bay leaves (no baking soda) with 5 cups (1.2 L) water to the Instant Pot. Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes, followed by a natural release for 10 minutes, then manually release remaining steam. Beans should mash easily; strain per step 4.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.33cup | Calories: 329.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.1g | Protein: 18.3g | Fat: 14.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.1g | Sodium: 355.8mg | Potassium: 1061mg | Fiber: 26.8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Vitamin C: 16.7mg | Calcium: 45.4mg | Iron: 5.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Love this? Leave a rating below!

Leave a Comment & Rating

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider giving it a star rating along with your comment! It helps others discover my blog and recipes, and your comments always make my day :) Thank you for your support!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe




96 Comments

  1. Elizabeth says:

    5 stars
    This is a wonderful recipe, well worth the time needed to make it. My husband has not stopped praising it and has asked for it on his next birthday (months and months away). Thank you. Nisha!

  2. Attitudegrrrl says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! Perfectly spiced.
    I split the prep over two days (making the beans first and then the rest of the dish the next). SO GOOD and I am not (usually) a big fan of kidney beans. Thank you for this delicious recipe!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Your review made our day! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and for trying out the recipe.

  3. Jairy says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and got the desired “you can make this again from my wife”. Will definitely be on our menu. This is such a tasty recipe. Looking forward to having it as leftovers this week.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Jairy! It makes us happy to know that you two enjoyed the recipe.

  4. Kathy says:

    5 stars
    Now my favorite curry!! So yummy and rich in flavor. Husband loved it. Easy yo make as well. I ran short of one fresh tomato so used fresh and canned. I did throw in a bit of garam masala at the end and it was delicious. Keep the recipes coming!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      It made our day to hear it’s your new favorite, Kathy! Thanks for the stellar review!

  5. Mari says:

    5 stars
    This is an amazing dish. It’s worth the time and effort. Reheats well, too. My husband and I actually ate the leftovers for brunch. Thank you, again!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Mari, it’s great to hear you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the review!

  6. Lisa says:

    Hi Nisha, this looks delicious. Before I try this, can the leftovers be frozen? I am single, and this is a large batch.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Lisa, thanks for the kind words!

      You can find the answer to your question in the FAQ section, but I will paste it here for your convenience:

      “This is also a great candidate for freezing, especially because it makes a large quantity, and will stay good for 3 to 6 months—but it is best to not pour any tadka on the portion you plan to freeze. I like to freeze them in Souper Cubes for easily portioned leftovers that are quick to defrost.

      Reheating tip: The rajma thickens a lot as it sits in the fridge (from the bean starch), so you’ll want to loosen it with some water as you heat up leftovers.”

  7. Karen says:

    Is there a way to make this with canned kidney beans?

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Karen, you can find the answer to your question in the FAQ section, but I’ll paste it here for your convenience: “Technically, yes, but you won’t get the same level of flavor development and certainly not texture with canned beans. As dried beans cook, they release this thick starchy liquid, which helps thicken the rajma as it simmers so it turns velvety. Canned beans won’t be able to yield the same results.

      Canned beans are also firmer than ideal for this recipe, so you might want to simmer everything longer to soften them.

      If you do want to use canned beans, the equivalent would be four 15-ounce/425g cans.”

  8. Verena says:

    This looks delicious, but lots of work and full of ingredients which aren’t easily found. ☹️

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Verena, yes, this recipe is definitely a labor of love recipe, but well worth it in our opinion! And if you don’t have a South Asian grocer near you, you can find most of the ingredients online.

      If you’re itching to cook some vegan Indian food at home, I recommend starting with our red lentil or chickpea curries. They’re some of the most weeknight-friendly Indian recipes you’ll find!

  9. Darina says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is so worth all the effort. All the flavours are well balanced and complement each other, nothing is overpowering. And you were right, the tadka took it from unbelievably tasty to heavenly delicious.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Darina, thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the Rajma Masala.

  10. Jane says:

    5 stars
    I made mine in an Instant onepot to test ut for camping and it was easy. Being vegan i added some Quorn pieces in with the beans and it was delicious. I didn’t have have the fenugreek to make the last step but served it with rice and everyone loved it. will definitely make this again. thank you Nisha. I have asked my family for your cookbook for my birthday. xx

  11. Leora Kelley says:

    4 stars
    I made this over the last two days. I used an instant pot to cook the beans and they got pretty mashed up so I didn’t mash enough of the beans in the Dutch oven. It was good but probably needed to be a bit thicker vs the way I made it. I’m tough on five stars, but u think the red lentil curry was five stars and this is a notch below it. There’s also probably a streamlined version that’s way less effort/time and a similar amount of flavor.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Leora, we appreciate the honest feedback. It’s good to hear you enjoyed the recipe overall!

  12. Jenn Miller says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious and my house smells amazing! I usually have a hard time getting Indian flavors right, but this recipe is great. Good authentic flavor. Thank you!! First Indian cooking success at home. The Tadka really does make it great!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Thanks for your lovely comment, Jenn! We’re glad to be a part of your first Indian cooking success at home! 🙂

  13. Annmarie says:

    I love every recipe I. have made of Nisha’s & am confident this one will also be fantastic. What brand of black cardamom & tejpatta do you recommend?

    1. Nisha Vora says:

      So kind of you to say, Annmarie! If you’re shopping at your local South Asian market, I would buy whatever they have in stock (or you can ask an employee what they recommend). If you’re buying online, I have good results with the Rani brand.

  14. Demi says:

    Did you mix up the order of the tomato puree and tomato garlic mixture? or am I just confused on how to deglaze the pan with tomato puree?

    1. Nisha Vora says:

      Hi Demi, the garlic, ginger and tomato paste (the stuff from a tube or can) should go in after the onions for 90 seconds, then the blended tomato puree (the whole tomatoes pureed in a food processor or blender) goes in. That puree should have a liquid-ish consistency that can be used to deglaze the stuck food bits. I’ve modified the recipe to write “blended tomato puree” so hopefully that clears it up?

  15. Linda T says:

    5 stars
    exceeded expectations!! never heard of this before, so good and packs a fiber punch!!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Those words are music to our ears, Linda! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  16. Jimmy says:

    can you make it in ip

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Jimmy, you can cook the beans in the Instant Pot if you’d like, you find our instructions for cooking beans in an Instant Pot in note 7 of the recipe card. As for the whole recipe, this one isn’t Instant Pot friendly unfortunately, as it relies on many hands on steps to make it the winner that it is!

    2. Jane says:

      5 stars
      I made mine in an Instant onepot to test it for camping and it was easy. i left the beans in the ip to soak overnight- the baking soda. Being vegan i added some Quorn pieces in with the beans and it was delicious. I didn’t have have the fenugreek to make the last step but served it with rice and everyone loved it. will definitely make this again. thank you Nisha. I have asked my family for your cookbook for my birthday. xx

  17. patricia burns says:

    5 stars
    Could you use canned kidney beans?

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      Hi Patricia, you can find the answer to your question in the FAQ section, but I will paste it here!:

      Q: Can I use canned beans?
      A: “Technically, yes, but you won’t get the same level of flavor development and certainly not texture with canned beans. As dried beans cook, they release this thick starchy liquid, which helps thicken the rajma as it simmers so it turns velvety. Canned beans won’t be able to yield the same results.

      Canned beans are also firmer than ideal for this recipe, so you might want to simmer everything longer to soften them.

      If you do want to use canned beans, the equivalent would be four 15-ounce/425g cans.”

    2. Elizabeth Fischel says:

      I think the idea is to cook the beans with the spices, so canned beans won’t give you the same flavor.

  18. Genevieve says:

    5 stars
    ✨My Rajma Timeline✨

    – Tuesday: I’ve never heard of this dish
    – Wednesday [after watching Nisha’s YT Video]: That looks kinda good, I think I’ll give it a try.
    – Thursday [after being dazzled by its deliciousness]: Yup, looks like I’m going to be making this one for the rest of my life.

    Thank you, Miss Nisha! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      We love to hear it, Genevieve! Thank you for taking the time to try the recipe and for leaving a sweet review!

  19. Jojo says:

    5 stars
    I love this recipe so much. I can’t wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing! I have made many of your recipes. I love your cooking so much I bought your book “big vegan flavor”❤️

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      We appreciate your support more than you know, Jojo! Thanks for giving the recipe a shot and sharing your experience 🙂

  20. Jesse says:

    5 stars
    Out of this world. I swear my family went silent for a minute when I they first tried this, thats never happened before!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life says:

      That’s the most amazing feedback, Jesse. Thank you! 🙂