Rajma (Indian Bean Chili)
Serve this vegetarian chili over rice as an entrée or as a spicy side dish with a simple roast chicken. Use canned kidney beans or cook your own.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4–6
2 (16-ounce) cans red kidney beans
¼ cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, diced
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water
Salt to taste
¼ cup minced cilantro
Place beans in a colander; rinse and drain. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine oil, garlic, jalapeños, ginger, and onion; stirring constantly, sauté until mixture begins to brown.
Add tomatoes, cumin, garam masala, chili powder, and turmeric; continue cooking and stirring 5 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick.
Add beans and salt. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Serve over rice.
What Is Garam Masala?
Garam masala is a fragrant blend of spices commonly found in northern Indian and Pakistani cuisine. The name literally means “warm spice” and it may include peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and caraway as well as bits of star anise, red pepper flakes, turmeric, and fennel. Purists make garam masala at home in small batches, by toasting whole spices in a skillet, then grinding the mixture with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
