Spinach & red kidney beans curry | Palak rajma | rajma recipe
This spinach & red kidney beans curry is rich in plant-based protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and micronutrients such as vitamin A & K, folate, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and copper. It’s a great addition to a healthy diet as it also provides complex and low GI carbs.
I normally make kidney beans in tomato gravy but to increase the iron in our diet, I sometimes make red kidney beans with spinach. This is an easy recipe that uses basic ingredients and just a few spices. I am using dried red kidney beans, however canned beans can also be used. You can also use any other type of beans or chickpeas as well.
How to make palak rajma – step-by-step instructions with pictures and video
- Presoaking the kidney beans
For this dish, we need red kidney beans that have been presoaked overnight. To presoak, in a big enough bowl, add water to the kidney beans. Wash the kidney beans and drain. Presoak overnight with 6 cups of water.
After presoaking, the kidney beans increase in size and 1 ½ cups of dried kidney beans yield approximately 3 ½ cups of presoaked kidney beans.
- Cooking the kidney beans
To cook the kidney beans, I’m using a pressure cooker but they can be cooked in a pot as well. However, the cooking time will increase greatly when using a pot.
Drain and rinse the presoaked kidney beans. Put the kidney beans in a pressure cooker along with the salt and water as detailed in the recipe.
On a medium burner, cook on high flame till the first whistle (some pressure cookers whistle while releasing steam. If you have one that doesn’t whistle, then cook as per the required settings). After the first whistle, immediately reduce the flame to low and cook for another 5-8 minutes. The cooking time can vary due to differences in water and the beans themselves. Let the steam release on its own and then open the lid. To check the doneness, press a kidney bean between your thumb and finger, if it presses easily and is mushy from inside, it’s done. If the kidney beans are well done, the starch from the beans helps to thicken the gravy and adds flavor as well.
If possible, cook the kidney beans in advance so that there’s enough time for them to cool down a little. This not only helps to improve the mouthfeel of the kidney beans but (as per CSIRO & hopkinsdiabetesinfo.org/what-is-resistant-starch/), heating and cooling down the beans also helps in forming resistant starch (important for supporting a healthy gut microbiome).
- Preparing the spinach puree
For the spinach puree, wash and roughly chop the spinach. Roughly chop the onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chilli.
In a big enough pot, heat oil (as detailed in the recipe) on medium flame. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chilli and sauté, just enough to remove the raw smell. Add in the chopped onion and sauté. Next add in the chopped tomato and spinach. Mix and cook, just enough to wilt the spinach leaves. Once the spinach leaves are wilted, switch off the gas and let it cool down.
Once the cooked spinach has cooled down, blend it in a blender/mixer grinder, coarseness depending on your preference. I like it fine with tiny pieces of spinach visible.
- Cooking the subzi/curry
On a medium burner, heat oil on a medium flame in a big enough wok or pot. Add bay leaf and cumin seeds. Sizzle for 5-10 seconds, taking care not to burn the seeds.
Next, add the spinach puree and reduce the flame to low.
Add the salt (be mindful of the salt that was added while cooking the kidney beans), turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix, cover and cook on low-medium flame till the spinach is cooked and the oil separates and floats on the top (approximately 10 minutes). I prefer to cover and cook as the spinach puree will bubble and splatter. Keep stirring in between to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Once the spinach is cooked, add the garam masala and mix.
Next add in the cooked kidney beans along with the water in which it was cooked. With the help of a spoon, press a few kidney beans against the pot side. This helps to thicken the curry and adds flavor as well.
Cover & continue cooking on low flame for another 15-20 minutes till the oil floats on top again. Keep stirring in between.
Taste and add seasoning if required. Add hot water if required to adjust the consistency. The curry will thicken as it cools down. Switch off the gas and remove from heat. Cover and let it rest for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Serving suggestion
This curry will go well with jeera/plain rice, roti, paratha, naan, flatbread or even toast.
Refrigerate any leftover curry in an airtight container. As with any other curry, it will taste better the next day. It also freezes well.
If you tried this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment below and rating it. Please share the link on Facebook or Pinterest. For Instagram, mention @vegbyswati or tag #vegbyswati
Spinach & red kidney beans curry (Palak rajma)
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Blender/Mixer grinder
- Pot
Ingredients
To cook the kidney beans (using a pressure cooker)
- 1 1/2 cups dried red kidney beans, washed, presoaked overnight in 6 cups of water
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups water
To make the spinach puree
- 2 tsp oil
- 1-2 cm ginger
- 2-3 cloves garlic (large)
- 1 green chilli
- 1 small onion
- 1 medium tomato (approx. 150gms)
- 200 gms spinach (leaves and stems) refer to notes
Other ingredients (for the curry)
- 5 tbsp oil/ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp salt or as per taste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 3/4 tsp red chilli powder
- 3 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1-2 tsp garam masala
Instructions
To presoak the kidney beans
- Wash the kidney beans and presoak overnight in a big enough bowl with 6 cups of water.
To cook the kidney beans
- Drain and rinse the presoaked kidney beans. Put the kidney beans in a pressure cooker along with the salt and water as detailed in the recipe.
- On a medium burner, cook on high flame till the first whistle (some pressure cookers whistle while releasing steam. If you have one that doesn’t whistle, then cook as per the required settings).
- After the first whistle, immediately reduce the flame to low and switch off the gas after 5-8 minutes.
- Let the steam release on its own and then open the lid. To check the doneness, press a kidney bean between your thumb and finger, if it presses easily and is mushy from inside, it’s done. Adjust the cooking time if required.
- If time permits, let the kidney beans cool down a little.
Preparing the spinach puree
- Wash and roughly chop the spinach, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chilli.
- In a big enough pot, heat oil (as detailed in the recipe) on medium flame.
- Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chilli and sauté, just enough to remove the raw smell. Add the chopped onion and sauté.
- Next add in the chopped tomato and spinach. Mix and cook, just enough to wilt the spinach leaves. Once the spinach leaves are wilted, switch off the gas and let it cool down.
- Blend the cooled down spinach in a blender/mixer grinder, coarseness depending on your preference. I like it fine with tiny pieces of spinach visible.
Cooking the subzi/curry
- On a medium burner, heat oil on a medium flame in a big enough wok or pot. Add the bay leaf and cumin seeds. Sizzle for 5-10 seconds, taking care not to burn the seeds.
- Add the spinach puree and reduce the flame to low.
- Next, add the salt (be mindful of the salt that was added while cooking the kidney beans), turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.
- Mix, cover and cook on low-medium flame till the spinach is cooked and the oil separates and floats on the top (approximately 10 minutes). Keep stirring in between to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the spinach is cooked, add the garam masala and mix.
- Next add in the cooked kidney beans along with the water in which it was cooked. With the help of a spoon, press a few kidney beans against the pot side. This helps to thicken the curry and adds flavor as well.
- Cover & continue cooking on low flame for another 15-20 minutes till the oil floats on top again. Keep stirring in between.
- Taste and add seasoning if required.
- Add hot water if required to adjust the consistency. The curry will thicken as it cools down.
- Switch off the gas and remove from heat. Cover and let it rest for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to blend.
- Serve with rice, roti, paratha, naan, flatbread or even toast.
Video
Notes
- 1 cup = 250ml
- If possible, cook the kidney beans in advance so that there’s enough time for them to cool down a little. This not only helps to improve the mouthfeel of the kidney beans but (as per CSIRO & hopkinsdiabetesinfo.org/what-is-resistant-starch/), heating and cooling down the beans also helps in forming resistant starch (important for supporting a healthy gut microbiome).
- Canned red kidney beans can also be used, though I prefer using the dried ones.
- Calories information is approximate, calculated using online Recipe Calorie & Nutrition Calculator.
- This recipe serves enough for 4 people if eaten with rice. If eaten with roti or any other flatbread, it can serve up to 6 people.
- Use the spinach stems if they are tender. If not, then just use the leaves.
- Total salt used is 3 tsp.
Thanks for this healthy and easy to prepare meal.
Amazing and a healthy twist to the traditional Rajma…..