Rajma Masala...Creamy but Low Cal Version!!

You ask any North Indian especially the people from Delhi about their comfort food,I am sure more than 90% would have answered Rajma-Chawal. Khichdi or rice-rasam is a comfort meal for south Indians and in the same way Rajma-chawal is a comfort meal for North Indians.I have never cooked or tasted Rajma before my marriage.I have tasted this for the first time at my friends place and was really impressed with it and also loved the taste of it.As hubby is a proper Delhi-te I had to learn this immediately and included in our weekly menu.Now even rajma -chawal is a comfortable meal for me as well as it is easy to cook and tasty also.But the only difference at my place is I pair it with Jeera chawal all the time as we both love this combo very much.I feel cooking North Indian meal is easier than cooking South Indian meal as the preparation time is less even though the cooking time is longer.I have mentioned a easy and simple process in the NOTES to cook tasty rajma,just have a look at it. Rajma tastes best with minimal spices,even if you avoid all the spices and just add chili powder it tastes wonderful.

Ingredients:
1 cup Rajma
2 tbsp whole urad
2 medium onion finely chopped or grated onion
3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup milk
1/2 " cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 green chilli
a pinch of hing
1/2 lemon squeezed
2 tsp oil and butter to serve
salt to taste

Method:

• Soak Rajma and whole urad overnight in water with some salt. Add a pinch of garam masala to it and pressure cook on high for 2 whistles and keep the flame on low and cook for 25-30 mins.
• In a pan,take oil add cinnamon stick,bay leaf,green chilli and fry for a minute.Add a pinch of hing and also a pinch of garam masala powder and fry a bit.
• Grind tomatoes into a smooth puree.
• Add finely chopped or grated onions and fry until its soft,now add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
• Add tomato puree and fry until all the moisture is absorbed and then add all the dry masalas like red chili powder, dhaniya powder,cumin powder,garam masala,amchur powder and salt an dfry well.
• Add cooked rajma and mix everything and cover it and cook on a low flame for 12-15 mins.
• Now lower the flame and add milk and mix immediately and cook for a minute and turn off the stove.
• Add coriander leaves and lemon juice and give a stir.

Serve with roti/chapathy/parantha or Jeera rice.

Note:

• For a rich version replace milk by cream and also add a tbsp of butter after it is cooked.It gives a nice flavor to rajma.
• I generally do not cook rajma before and add to the tadka,I do everything in the cooker directly.The method is same as above I mentioned just that I add soaked rajma and urad instead of cooked rajma after frying all the masalas and then pressure cook for 1 whistle and cook on low flame for 35-40 mins.This will ensure rajma to soak in all the flavors and becomes extremely soft and creamy.After removing the lid add milk and boil for a minute and add lemon juice and coriander at the end.