The Magic of the Good Ol’ Rajma
Rajma or kidney beans are available in many colours and forms. You can buy the beans from the grocer or you can buy boiled beans in tin cans.
Indian recipes require the rajma to be cooked in a gravy. But there is another hot pot that you can make with the rajma that goes well with the Indian roti and chaval as well as can be used to top pasta or nachos- a recipe thoroughly recommended for bachelors.
What you will need
Boiled rajma- 3 cups- boil about 125 gms of rajma in 4 cups of water after soaking for at least 8 hours. If you are using canned rajma, it should be three tea cups full.
Chopped vegetables- 1 cup (1 carrot, green/red/yellow peppers, 1 small onion)
Tomatoes- 2- roughly chopped (you can also substitute with packaged tomato puree- about 50 ml)
Garlic- 3–4 cloves, pepper corns and cumin- crushed together (see image below)
Thyme, basil and/or coriander
Bay leaf, oregano and chilly flakes (add a green chilly if you prefer it to be hot)
Olive oil or cooking oil- 3 tablespoons
Salt
Preparation
Add oil to a deep pan or kadhai. Once the oil heats up, add all chopped vegetables and the tomatoes / puree. Let it saute till the vegetables soften.
Add the chili flakes, crushed spices and garlic. You can also add the herbs at this point- bay leaf, thyme, basil and/or coriander leaves- whatever is available. The herbs can be fresh or dried. Add salt; adjust according to the salt in the boiled rajma.
Add the boiled rajma. It should be about three cups after boiling. You can also add the water from the boiled rajma. Saute for 2–3 minutes and add another 1–2 cups of water depending upon the desired consistency.
Cover and boil it for 5–6 minutes. The chili is now ready to be served.
You can have it just like a soup, top pasta with it or make a nachos platter. You can have is on your toast for breakfast or have it simply with rice or roti.
It can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days.
