E8 EZ EE THE WASHINGTON POST.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19 , 2022
tomatoes and seasoned with the
homemaker’s preferred blend of
spices is quintessential comfort
food, conjuring up memories of
warm hugs, cozy family dinners,
large gatherings and lazy Sunday
afternoon siestas.
In my memory, rajma was about
friendship and trust, about eating a
hurried lunch with my grade-
school bestie, Pramita, at her house
when her mother, whom I knew as
Auntie S, would invite me. At the
convent, our lunch break was
short. Pramita and I would bolt out
the school gates, through the
neighborhood, barreling up three
flights of stairs to her house. Auntie
S would hand us stainless-steel
plates filled with warm parathas
and steaming rajma in little bowls
from her tiny galley kitchen.
A jovial Bengali woman married
to a man from Lucknow, Auntie S
was a trained dietitian. She made a
rajma that was a little bit of all the
places she called home: Calcutta
(now Kolkata), Lucknow and,
f inally, Bombay (now Mumbai). It
was complex and comforting.
Made with smaller, fragrant red
beans from Uttarakhand, her raj-
ma simmered in a sauce of onions
and tomatoes, and was topped
with homemade malai or cream. I
learned that she frowned upon
store-bought g aram masalas, in-
stead adding a delicate homemade
blend of roasted cumin, fenugreek,
black pepper and cardamom.
This sit-down meal was a school-
day luxury. On those afternoons,
my own untouched tiffin would
return home on the back of the
tiffinwala’s bicycle. Mom knew I
had eaten lunch at Pramita’s home.
Although Mom stocked many
pulses, for reasons unknown to me
then, she never cooked rajma. As a
teenager, rajma became my rebel-
lion against my mothers’ aversion
to it; it fueled my sense of curiosity
and adventure. So one summer
when family commitments took all
my adults away and my parents
decided that our trusted nanny and
I would live at our farmhouse out-
side Mumbai, I tried making it.
My mother had given me a crash
course in cooking, and my father
had given me Reader’s Digest craft-
ing books as my summer compan-
ions. I found a section on backyard
camping complete with recipes —
including one for baked beans that
looked like rajma. I bought ingredi-
ents from a rural market, including
a can of beans, and cooked enthusi-
astically on the outdoor wood-
burning stove. But the beans tasted
strange and bad, and I could not
tell why. We ate it in silence.
A dozen years later, while in
graduate school in Illinois, an
u nexpected sighting of canned
bea ns at a supermarket triggered a
longing f or home: family, the safe-
ty nets of reliable relationships
and unconditional trust. Coming
to America as a single graduate
student had been my biggest l eap
of faith, and it came with a hard
lesson in learning whom to trust.
Thirteen thousand miles away
from everything I cared about, I
sought Mom’s advice on monthly
phone calls. And I started to appre-
ciate her preference of ingredients,
her time and kitchen budgets, and
how her f ather had taught her to
cook. She explained how his spice-
layering techniques made the dif-
ference in the kitchen, and how
their bond had shaped her.
Her life had not afforded her the
luxury of time or resources to watch
a pot boil. Her kitchen began to
make sense — as did the recipes I
scribbled down listening to her.
Although Auntie S’s rajma reci-
pe eluded me, the memory of those
flavors made me smile again. I
tracked down the Reader’s Digest
and its baked beans recipe in the
library, and the reasons for my
failed rajma experiment emerged:
Indian ketchup was not tomato
sauce; jaggery was not brown sug-
ar; and not all canned beans were
vegetarian. My campfire attempt at
rajma had lacked Mom’s kitchen
logic and Auntie S’s care, impor-
tant ingredients from two women
who had never met but shared an
unspoken motherly pact of trust
and caregiving. My beans also
lacked my grandfather’s tech-
niques, and all the nuances that
had made Auntie S’s rajma special.
Although it came from a strang-
er’s kitchen, that restaurant rajma
— cooked and served with such
care — showed me I was missing so
much more than a good recipe. As I
ate, I realized I had to start over,
learn my recipes and techniques
again, even to trust again. And I
knew that no matter where I lived,
only trust and care would shape
where I most felt at home.
[email protected]
Godbole writes about Indian cuisine at
currycravings.com.
RAJMA FROM E1
A bowl of
kidney
beans feels
like home
Makhani Rajma
(North Indian Style Creamy Red Beans)4 servings as main dish; 8 as a side (makes 4 heaping cups)
Rajma, or red bean based dishes, are a staple in many Indian homes.
Of the many Indian preparations that use red kidney beans, makhani
rajma is a classic. This version demonstrates the spice layering
techniques used to build flavor, with onions, tomatoes and a spot of
cream added just when each will shine best. The recipe can be adapted
to meet dietary needs. If you like chili, you will like makhani rajma. This
dish is typically served as a side dish at a l arger meal, but can be eaten as
an entree. The finished dish tastes even better after it has rested
overnight in the refrigerator. S erve family-style with basmati or brown
rice, naan and/or raita.
Indian bay leaf (tamal patra) can be found at Indian grocery stores
and online.
Active time: 30 mins; Total time: 1 hour
The sauce can be prepared up until the point of adding beans and
refrigerated for up to 3 days.Ingredients
l2 tablespoons vegetable oil
l1 cup finely chopped red or
white onion (about 6 ounces)
(optional, see NOTES)
l1 tablespoon finely grated or
minced ginger
l1 tablespoon finely grated or
minced garlic
l1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
l2 to 3 whole cloves
l2 green cardamom pods
l1 Indian bay leaf (NOTE)
l2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
(may substitute with Kashmiri
chile for milder heat)l1 cup finely diced or crushed
fresh tomatoes or canned diced
tomatoes (see NOTES)
l3 cups cooked kidney beans; or
use two 15-ounce cans, rinsed
and drained (see NOTES)
l1 cup water, plus more as
needed
l^1 / 4 teaspoon dried fenugreek
leaves (kasuri methi powder,
see NOTES)
l1 teaspoon granulated sugar or
honey (optional)
lFine sea salt or table salt
l^1 / 4 cup fresh heavy cream to
garnish, optionallCooked basmati rice or brown
rice, or naan
lRaita, for serving, optionalSteps
lIn a d eep, heavy-bottomed skil-
let over medium-high heat, heat
the oil until shimmering.
lIf using onions, add them to the
skillet and cook, stirring often,
until softened and light golden
brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in
the ginger and garlic and cook,
stirring and taking care to not
burn either, until aromatic,
about 30 seconds. Add the cin-
namon, cloves, cardamom and
bay leaf, and cook, stirring, until
fragrant, about 1 minute.
lIf using the onions, sprinkle the
cayenne on top and mix to even-
ly coat. (If not using the onions,
remove the skillet from the heat
and let it cool down for about
1 minute before adding the cay-
enne, as it burns instantly in
very hot oil.)
lAdd the tomatoes, stirring to
evenly combine with the spices.
Cook, stirring, until the liquid
starts to evaporate, about 2 min-
utes. (See NOTES for a smooth-
er sauce.)
lAdd the beans and stir gently so
they don’t break. Add the water,
cover, and reduce the heat to
low. Cover and cook, stirring
occasionally, to prevent beansfrom sticking to the bottom of
the pan, until slightly thick-
ened, about 20 minutes.
lAs the sauce begins to thicken,
add the fenugreek leaves. Stir in
the sugar and season to taste
with salt. Re-cover and continue
to cook until the sauce thickens
further and the flavors meld, an
additional 10 minutes.
lTaste one of the beans, and if it is
not yet flavorful, add^1 / 4 to^1 / 2 cup
of water, re-cover and simmer
for another 10 minutes, then
taste again. Cover and continue
cooking for another 10 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and
sugar or honey, if needed.
lWhen ready to serve, remove
the cinnamon stick and bay leaf
and discard them. Swirl the
cream on top, if using, remove
from the heat and serve hot,
family-style, as a side or main
dish, with rice, naan and raita
on the side, if desired.
lNotes
lTo achieve a smooth sauce,
p uree the tomatoes and spices
before adding the beans.
R emove the pan from the heat
and let cool for a few minutes.
Remove and reserve the cinna-
mon and bay leaf, then, using an
immersion blender, process the
sauce in short bursts to reduce
splashing, until smooth. If
u sing a regular blender, let thesauce cool completely before
processing. Once pureed,
r eturn the sauce to the skillet,
add back the cinnamon stick
and bay leaf and continue with
the rest of the recipe.
lIf not using onions, use an addi-
tional 1 cup chopped tomatoes.
lThe dish is best when using
homemade beans. Find the reci-
pe for S imply Perfect Pot of
Beans at washingtonpost.com/
recipes.
lThe recipe can be adapted to
other kinds of cooked beans,
including black-eyed peas and
Adzuki beans. Or, substitute
your preferred ingredient in
place the beans, such as par-
boiled baby potatoes and halved
cremini mushrooms, or pro-
teins, such as diced paneer or
shredded rotisserie chicken.
lIndian bay leaf, also known as
tamal patra, has a different fla-
vor from standard bay leaf, and
results in a more complex flavor.
lFresh fenugreek leaves and the
dried seeds are different in fla-
vor from dried fenugreek leaves.
Do not substitute.
Nutrition | Per serving (^1 / 2 cup) based on 8:
139 calories, 7 g protein, 21 g
carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0
mg cholesterol, 47 mg sodium, 6 g dietary
fiber, 3 g sugar
Recipe tested by Ann Maloney; email
questions to [email protected]Rajma Poriyal
(Kidney Beans With Curry Leaves)2 to 3 servings (makes 1 cup)
Rajma poriyal is a popular variation of a classic regional Indian dish
made with beans, curry leaves and grated coconut. It is important to
follow the recipe instructions as written, because layering the spices
and ingredients enhances the flavor,. This flavor-packed, protein-rich
side dish is typically served as a complement to an array of other dishes.
It can, however, be doubled or tripled as an entree. Serve it with
paratha, or your favorite flatbread, or with rice and plain Greek yogurt.
Fresh or frozen curry leaves, frozen unsweetened grated coconut,
black mustard seeds and asafetida can be found at Indian or Asian
markets, or online.
Total time: 25 mins
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3
months. Defrost in the refrigerator and gently reheat on the stovetop
Recipes from cookbook author Nandita Godbole of
c urrycravings.com.Ingredients
l2 tablespoons vegetable oil or
another neutral oil
l^1 / 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
l^1 / 2 teaspoon black mustard
seeds
l10 to 12 fresh curry leaves
(may substitute with frozen.
See NOTES)
l1 teaspoon finely grated or
minced ginger
l1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or
to taste
l^1 / 2 teaspoon ground turmeric
l^1 / 2 teaspoon ground cumin
l^1 / 2 teaspoon ground coriander
l^1 / 4 teaspoon asafetida
(optional)
l1 cup (6 ounces) cooked
kidney beans (If canned,
drained and rinsed)
l1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
l^1 / 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
lFine salt
l2 tablespoons grated fresh
coconut (see NOTE)
l^1 / 4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
(optional)Steps
lIn a m edium skillet over medi-
um heat, heat the oil until
shimmering but not smoking.
Add the cumin seeds and mus-
tard seeds and cook until the
oil is fragrant and the mustard
seeds have popped, about 2
minutes. Add the curry leaves
and grated ginger and cook,
stirring, until the oil is fra-grant, about 1 minute.
lDecrease the heat to low and
stir in the cayenne, turmeric,
cumin, coriander and asafeti-
da, if using, until combined.
I ncrease the heat to medium-
high, add the beans, and stir
well to coat with the spices.
lDecrease the heat to low, cover
and cook until the beans are
fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and
sugar and season to taste with
salt.
lJust before serving, stir in the
coconut and the cilantro, if
using.
lNotes
lDo not use the coconut typical-
ly used for baking. Grated
fresh coconut is available in
Indian or Asian markets in the
freezer section. Defrost before
using. If grated unsweetened
frozen c oconut is not available,
a splash of canned coconut
milk is acceptable, but it will
temper and mellow the flavors
of the finished dish. Adjust the
spices accordingly.
lFresh curry leaves provide
brighter, fresher flavor than
frozen.
Nutrition | Per serving (^1 / 3 cup) based on 3:
176 calories, 5 g protein, 15 g
carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat,
0 mg cholesterol, 101 mg sodium, 4 g
dietary fiber, 1 g sugar
Recipe tested by Alexis Sargent; email
questions to [email protected]
PHOTOS BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY FOR THE WASHINGTON POST; FOOD STYLING BY LISA CHERKASKY FOR THE WASHINGTON POST