Navratri Special – No Onion, No Garlic, Delicious Rajma

I can’t believe I am going to say this – Rajma (Kidney Bean curry) recipe doesn’t even need garlic and onion. Literally. This recipe will make you forget that it doesn’t have these two special Indian curry ingredients. This is just perfect for the Navratri season. Also, if you are someone who doesn’t eat onion and garlic, this recipe is for you. You won’t be able to resist licking the plate.

Story Time

Jatin loves Rajma with rice a lot. It is one of his all-time favorite recipes. There is a particular kind of taste that he needs in his Rajma. It was a struggle for me to get that right taste for him. And when I decided to alter that perfectly set recipe and make it without onion and garlic, I thought that he won’t like it as much. Even I had my doubts because onion and garlic are two very important ingredients for Indian curry recipes. They add such a delicious flavor to the recipes that not adding them doesn’t feel right. I literally used to say that Rajma can not be made tasty without onion and garlic. But, I was absolutely wrong.

When I made this recipe, Jatin and I were surprised by the taste. We couldn’t even tell that it doesn’t have onion and garlic. We were literally talking that we don’t need these two ingredients for this recipe. It was like an eye-opener for us. It was extremely delicious, has that nice tangy and sweet flavor, and was thick enough to be enjoyed with rice. I even could not resist licking the utensil in which I made it. It was damn tasty and I am still craving it while writing this blog.

TIPS TO MAKE IT RIGHT

1. Soaking Rajma: I always prefer to wash the kidney beans/rajma first and then soak it overnight. If you soak it first and then wash it, the red color of rajma also washes out. Hence, wash it well 2-3 times with water and then soak (with 3 inches higher water) overnight or for at least 6-8 hrs. If you don’t have much time, soak it in hot water for at least 1 hour.
2. Boiling Rajma: The rajma should be boiled perfectly. It should be soft enough that you can easily press it with your fingers. The water level is very important while boiling. If the water is not enough, the skin of rajma will come off and it will become mushy and won’t look good. Keep the water level at least 2-3 inches above the level of Rajma.
3. Gravy Color: To get a nice red color gravy, add red chili powder and turmeric powder (haldi) with tomato puree itself. It cooks for a long time and gives a very nice color to the gravy.
4. Gravy Consistency: The gravy thickens as it cools down. Hence, keep the consistency depending on when are you going to eat it.

ADJUSTMENTS – YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE

1. Tomato Puree: If you don’t have a grinder, you can also grate the tomatoes using a grater or simply chop them absolutely fine. The gravy will turn out just nice. Also, use soft and ripe tomatoes.
2. Kidney Beans or Rajma: You can even use canned rajma but make sure they don’t have sugar added to it. It makes the rajma quite sweet. If you do not prefer canned food in Navratri, use the packed ones as I used in this recipe.

By the way, you should also check out our authentic Punjabi Rajma recipe too.

What food items are allowed (or not) in Navratri?

There are two main food items that are not consumed during the Navratri season – onion and garlic. They are considered Tamsik in nature and hence to be avoided. If you are fasting then consuming lentils, grains, any grain flour like whole wheat flour, besan (gram flour), or all-purpose flour, salt, canned food, and the food prepared using onion and garlic are not allowed. Non-vegetarian food items including eggs are also not allowed. Devotees also prefer not to smoke or drink alcohol during these nine days.

Apart from that, you can consume dairy products like curd, milk, paneer, vegetables like potato, tomato, arbi, cucumber, carrot, bottle gourd, eggplant, etc. You can even consume coconut, nuts, and seeds. Spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, cardamom, ajwain, etc. are also allowed.

Moreover, everybody has their own beliefs and follows their own rules. In my opinion, there is nothing right or wrong, allowed or not allowed. You can simply follow what you want. When I was in the hostel, we used to have food prepared with onion and garlic. That is what has been served to us. So, alter the recipe below as per what you eat during the Navratri season.

What grains (or pseudo-grains) can be consumed during Navratri?

Following grains or their flour can be consumed during Navratri fasting season:

1. Buckwheat or Buckwheat Flour (kuttu ka aata)
2. Amaranth (Rajgira)
3. Quinoa
4. Water Chestnut Flour (singhade ka aata)
5. Samai (samak ke chawal)

Is this recipe Vegan?

Yes. All the ingredients used in this recipe are plant-based and vegan.

How to serve Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)?

You can serve it with the following:

1. Steamed Rice or Jeera Rice
2. Chapati or Parathas
3. Aloo Parathas
4. Boiled dalia or quinoa.
5. Salad – onion, cucumber, and pink radish

Can this recipe be refrigerated?

Yes. Of course. Refrigerate the leftover rajma and consume it within 2 days. It tastes even better the next day because all the flavors get infused with each other well. The next day, you can even enjoy it with some hot stuffed aloo parathas (stuffed potato flatbread). It tastes yummy.

More Navratri Recipes

1. Quinoa Pulao
2. Buckwheat Cheela (Kuttu ka cheela) – fasting recipe
3. Beetroot Smoothie Bowl – fasting recipe

Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make this delicious and mouth-watering Indian curry – Rajma – at home. It is perfect for lunch or a weekend brunch recipe. Make a little extra so that the next day you can even prepare leftover kidney bean wraps.

If you try this recipe & like it too, please share the photo of your creation on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa