Rajma

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     I am quite a South Indian at heart when it comes to food.  I like North Indian cuisine and do enjoy them occasionally but I am not a fan.  However, my husband is huge on North Indian cuisine.  Rotis, parathas, rajma, dal you name it he likes it.  If there is the aroma of a good garam masala in the curry he is a happy camper.  So I put some rajma together to go with rotis for dinner. I will have him eating out of my hands (figuritively) today and I hope you get someone wound around your fingers with this curry too.  If the way to a man's heart is his stomach this dish is a definite means to that end.

Ingredients:
1. Rajma  - 1 cup (soak overnight)
2. Onions - 2 cups finely chopped
3. Tomato - 2 nos finely chopped (best when blanched and pureed)
4. Ginger  - 2 tspn finely chopped
5. Garlic   - 2 tspn finely chopped
6. Coriander powder - 3/4 Tbspn
7. Chili Powder - 1/2 Tbspn
8. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tspn
9. Cummin Powder - 1/2 tspn
10. Garam Masala - 1 tspn
11. Pepper - 1/4 tspn
12. Nutmeg Powder - 1/4 tspn
13. Shahi Jeera (Black Cummin) - 1/4 tspn (I took whole and then crushed them)
14. Canola Oil - 2 Tbspn
15. Coriander Leaves for garnishing optional

Method:
1. Soak a cup of rajma overnight.  Clean and pressure cook in a cup of water and 1/4 tspn salt
2. Heat oil in a pan saute onions till translucent
3. Add chopped ginger and garlic and saute till the onions are golden brown
4. Add all the powders either mixed together in a little water to make a paste or as is.  (Mixing in water to make a paste helps to prevent the powders from being burned off). I crushed shahi jeera and added along with the nutmeg and garam masala
5. Saute till oil leaves the pan.
6. Add chopped tomatoes (if its not pureed then the skin may float so be sure to either chop them fine or use pureed tomato or canned puree) If canned puree, about 2 Tbspn will suffice
7. Saute well and add the cooked rajma
8. Take a heavy ladle or round bottomed big spoon and mash about 1/4 of the rajma.  I like to do this to thicken the gravy as well as blend in the taste
9. Be sure not to mash too many of the rajma the nice blend a little mashed and some whole enhances taste and appearance

Notes:
1. You could add a dollop of fresh cream and chopped cilantro as garnish
2. Addition butter about a Tbspn before taking the curry off the stove butter blends into soothing and taking the curry a notch above the ordinary.
3. Serve with rotis or rice
Contributor: Sunitha