Rajma rice

Feels like ages!!! But am back with back to back recipes.  It is not that I have not been cooking.  It's just that I couldn’t get myself to get to the writing, posting and clicking bits.  So hoping that you all did miss me, I am presenting to you all, recipe of a yum rice dish which I combined with raita and okra n crispy fried okra might I say..  Rajma rice or kidney bean rice, a very healthy and flavoursome dish of rice which can be eaten as is or with raita or a simple dal.

There are smaller varieties of these kidney beans which are from Kashmir, but here I have used the bigger version.  Kidney beans in any form are yum and tasty, thou I have heard that the smaller variety are very tasty n full of flavour.  So here's how the recipe goes.

INGREDIENTS:

Kidney beans (Rajma)	1 cup (cooked)
Rice	1 cup
Onions	2 big (thinly sliced)
Tomato	1 medium (finely chopped)
Green cardamom	2 nos
Cinnamon	1 small piece
Cloves	4 nos
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Chilli powder	1 tsp
Coriander &cumin powder	1/2 tsp each
Garam masala	1 tsp
Salt	1 tsp or as per preference
Ghee	2 tbsp
Coriander leaves	To garnish

METHOD:

1.       Wash and soak the rajma/kidney beans with enough water (water should cover the beans by 2 inches) overnight.  Next morning drain the water and pressure cook the kidney beans putting fresh water in the cooker so as to cover the kidney beans.  Cook for approx 4-5 whistles. 

2.       Meanwhile, slice the onions, chop tomatoes and keep aside.  Wash n soak the rice for about half an hour.

3.       Drain the water from the rice. 

4.       In a pan or cooker add a tbsp of ghee, add the whole spices and sauté till you get a mild fragrance.  Add in the sliced onions and sauté till they turn translucent.

5.       Once the onions are done, add in the finely chopped tomatoes.  Sauté till soft.

6.       Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander & cumin powder and garam masala and stir well for a minute.

7.       Add the rice and sauté it on high flame for 2 minutes.  Add the cooked rajma and salt, stir well again.

8.       Add 2 cups of water to the rice and stir well again.

9.       Cover the pan or the cooker with a lid.  If cooking in a cooker, cook up-to two whistles.  If cooking in a pan, cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame until done.

10.   Once the rice is cooked add the other tbsp if ghee and garnish with coriander leaves. 

11.   Serve hot with raita or dal and papaddams.

NOTES:

1.       If you have water/stock remaining from the cooked rajma you could add the same.

2.       I have served the rice with onion raita.  You could serve with the raita or a salad of your choice.

3.       For the raita I have used a little less than a cup of curd, 1 medium onion finely chopped, salt as per preference and just a sprinkle of chilli powder.  Garnished with coriander leaves.

4.       I haven't added ginger garlic paste, if you do wish to add pl feel free to do so.  It will add to the flavour.

5.       With the measurements that I have given it serves 2-3, so pl do adjust according to your requirement.