Rajma

Rajma (Kidney Beans Curry)

Kidney beans make an excellent nutritous basis for a vegetarian dish - and this is a popular Indian method for cooking them. Called "Rajma" - the kidnet beans are cooked either on their own - or in this Punjabi variation - with potatoes.

Ingredients as follows:

2 tins of drained red kidney beans in water (preferably no salt added)
2 medium sized potatoes - chopped into bite-sized chunks
1 tin of plum tomatoes - chopped - or a ready chopped tin of tomatoes
2 smallish onions - finely chopped
Some chopped fresh coriander leaf
Some chunks of garlic and ginger pulp from your freezer
2 teaspoons of garam masala
1 teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
1.5 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of red chillie powder

Ingredients for Rajma

Fry the chopped onions in about 2 tablespoons of oil until slightly golden brown. Then toss in the garlic and ginger pulp - and fry for a few minutes more.

Add all the ground spices in one go - and "dry fry" for a few minutes. Add a little more oil if necessary.

Then add the tin of chopped tomatoes - and fry for some more time - until you start to see the oil separating from the mixture.

Then add the potato chunks and give it a good stir around. Add a glass of cold water and bring to the boil - and let it simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes. this will partly-cook the potato.

Then add the drained tins of cooked kidney beans. (MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALREADY COOKED KIDNEY BEANS - as these beans are poisonous if not soaked in water overnight before cooking!). Then add some more water - perhaps a couple of glassed - and bring to boil and let simmer for around 20 minutes - with the lid off - so that the water slowly evaporates.

When it's of the consistency that you like - stir in the chopped coriander and simmer for a few mor minutes.

At this point you can switch off the heat - and put the lid back on whilst you go prepare some rice or some some roti - or naan/pitta bread - or even toast. Best served with a cool side-salad - and a glass of your favourite red wine!

Rajma!