Kidney Bean Stew (Rajma Dal)

     This kidney bean stew is inspired by the North Indian dish known as Rajma Dal. Rajma in English means red kidney beans and dal is the thick gravy they are cooked with. In Indian cooking, dal can also be referring to a variety of dried split peas, peas, lentils and other pulses like kidney beans or chickpeas. Dal is the name for an everyday dish that is cooked with aromatic spices, curry, onions and tomatoes. Like Rajma dal, the type of split pea, lentil or pulse will be included in the name. Such as, masoor dal (red lentils) or chana dal (chickpeas). It is usually served with rice or roti bread. It also goes well with a side of raita such as Cucumber and Tomato Raita or plain yogurt.

     A few years ago I did not cook any Indian dishes. I have never even traveled to India. When I moved to Guam I learned of a small Indian market in the back of a clothing store. I was looking for spices because they were so expensive to buy in the grocery store and the selection was limited. I was delighted to find this gem! The husband and wife who own this business were very friendly and spent time talking with me about the various items they had. The wife was always interested in knowing what I was going to cook. At the time I was watching the cooking show, Spice Goddess, and when I got interested in a recipe I needed to go get some spices. My spice collection really grew and so did my cooking experiences with Indian food. Now I LOVE my spices and how a simple dish can be transformed into such a comforting food with just a few spices. In general, I find Indian food too spicy in regards to the 'chili heat'. Like Thai food, that hasn't deterred me from cooking dishes from these cuisines. The really nice part of cooking is learning about what is traditional to cultures, being inspired by them and having the freedom to 'make it your own'. That is what I have done with this kidney bean stew recipe. I imagine this is one of those recipes that every family has their own special recipe and spice blend.

     I store my spices like many others in a cabinet right next to the stove. Certainly could be improvement on accessibility but this is functional enough for my needs. If you do not have dark, air-tight containers it is best to store dried herbs and spices in a dark place.  I think it is also a good idea to store them away from heat.

   

     After filling my spice jars, I store the bags of spices in a plastic covered bin in another cabinet. Mmmmm, this smells heavenly when I open it! In front here are some spice mixes my sister sent me last year when she and her family traveled to North India.

More on storing herbs and spices: storing herbs and spice and ideas for organize spices (except the ones on or above the stove)

Now for the recipe:

Kidney Bean Stew (Rajma Dal)

serves 4-6

printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 T. coconut oil (or other cooking oil)

2 bay leaves

2 t. cumin seed*

2 T. ginger, finely minced

2 T. garlic, finely minced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 t. coriander powder

1 t. turmeric powder

1 (14.5 oz.) can chopped tomatoes or 3 diced roma tomatoes

2 T. tomato paste 

1 T. Sucanant sugar (or brown sugar)

1 C. water

2 - (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 t. garam masala powder*

1 T. lemon juice

1 t. dried fenugreek leaves**

Garnish with chopped cilantro

*if you don’t have cumin seed, use ½ t. cumin powder, add it with other dry spices in step 2.

Directions:

1. In a 5 qt. pot or skillet with high sides, heat the oil on medium high. Add the bay leaves and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to pop add the ginger, garlic and onions. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add the coriander powder and turmeric powder. When the onions become soft and golden brown color add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and 1 cup of water. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add more water to make desired gravy consistency.

Note: If you want a smooth gravy, allow to cool, remove the bay leaves and then blend in a food processor or blender. 

3. Add the kidney beans, garam masala powder, lemon juice and fenugreek leaves. Cover and simmer 20 - 30 minutes. Adjust gravy with a little water if needed.

4. Remove the bay leaf and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

*garam masala is a blend of ground spices. You can buy premade garam masala in the grocery store or Indian market. The 2 teaspoons recommended is based on the type of garam masala I am using and how much chili heat I want. In other recipes I have used 1/2 - 1 tablespoon. Put a small amount to start and then adjust it for your taste.

**fenugreek leaves have a unique taste which don't really have an equivalent substitute. The best I can describe fenugreek is there is a slight bitterness with a trace hint of maple. It's a subtle flavor. The leaves are sprinkled on dishes at the end of cooking. The seeds have more of a maple or caramel flavor to me. They are cooked with other spices in a recipe. For this recipe I would suggest using celery leaves as a substitute or just omit it. It was inexpensive for me to buy. I got a large box of leaves for $3. US dollars.

Cucumber and Tomato Raita