Pressure Cooker Rajma — Creamy Punjabi Kidney Bean Curry

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Dried kidney beans go into the pot hard and come out meltingly soft in one pressure cycle, in a glossy onion-tomato masala you build right in the same pot. No soaking, no simmering for hours — just a quick sauté, a lid, and 45 minutes of hands-off cooking. Mash a spoonful of beans at the end and the sauce turns thick and creamy on its own. Serve over rice with a spoon of yogurt.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup dried red kidney beans, rinsed (no soaking needed)
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on normal heat and melt the ghee. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 7 minutes until softened and lightly browned at the edges.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, cumin and turmeric and stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in 1/4 cup of the water and scrape the bottom of the pot clean so nothing sticks, then press Cancel.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, rinsed kidney beans, salt and the remaining 2 3/4 cups water. Scrape once more around the base of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck.
4. Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure.
5. When the cycle ends, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then turn the valve to Venting to release the rest. Open the lid; the beans should be completely tender and crush easily against the side of the pot.
6. Mash about 1 cup of the beans against the bottom of the pot with the back of a spoon and stir well — the sauce will thicken to a creamy gravy in a minute or two. Taste for salt, let it rest 5 minutes off heat, and serve over rice.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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