Description
Rajma masala, a creamy kidney bean curry, is bursting with flavorful spices and aromatics for a satisfying Punjabi-inspired plant-based dinner.
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, cut into quarters
- 5 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper (remove the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy)
- 1 - inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 2 pitted dates
- 2 – 15 oz. (400 gm.) cans of crushed or whole tomatoes
- 1 tsp. red chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1 Tbsp. cumin seeds
- 2 – 15 oz. (400 gm.) cans of red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup plant-milk (I used oat milk)
Quick pickled red onions
- 2 red onions, peeled, cut in half, and sliced into thin, half-moons
- 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar, red wine vinegar, or merlot vinegar
- 3 tbsp liquid sweetener such as agave syrup or vegan honey
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
*timing tip – if you are making pickled onions, take 5 minutes to make them first so that they have time to marinate.
- To make the onions, mix together the vinegar, agave syrup, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Add the onions and use your hand to gently massage the onions so that they are well-covered.
- Cover the dish and place the onions into the refrigerator until you are ready to eat them.
- To make the curry, start by adding the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and ginger to a food processor or blender. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Set it aside or transfer it to a small bowl if you need the food processor for step 2.
- Next, add the tomatoes, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala to a blender. Blend until the tomatoes are broken down and smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 3500 F. (1800 C.)
- On the stovetop, heat a medium oven-proof pot over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of cumin seeds and toast them for 1 – 2 minutes. Keep them moving so they don't burn. Be prepared to add the rest of the ingredients immediately.
- Add the onion-jalapeno mixture and mix it with the cumin seeds.
- Add the blended tomatoes and spices. Allow the tomatoes to heat through (5 minutes). When they start to bubble, cut the heat.
- Mix in the kidney beans and plant milk.
- Place the pot in the oven. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until the curry is bubbling and the top has started to brown.
- Serve with the pickled onions, rice, and chopped cilantro (if desired).
Notes
- The nutritional information does not include the pickled onions (check the link for that information) or rice.
- If you do not have an oven-proof pot, transfer the curry to a baking dish before putting it into the oven.
- If you cannot find cumin seeds, substitute 1 tsp. of ground cumin. Mix this in with the tomatoes and spices and skip the first step.
- Category: Main Courses
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: rajma masala