Rajma Madra with Love

There are some dishes that are literally soul food. From Chhole bhatoore, gulab jamun, jalebi, to Rajma Chawal- there would hardly be any person who wouldn’t like either of them. And do you know the best thing about some of these dishes? Even though they were not ingenious to India, Indians made them their own, and these foods are now staples of every household.

Food for the soul- Himachali Rajma. Image source: Reckon Talk

"Whatever the season, some things remain constant. If you're a north Indian, you'll agree to the fact that Rajma Chawal heals your soul." Malini said dreamily.

"That's a little far fetched", smirked Jatin.

The two of them were still figuring out what to cook. While Jatin was hoping to eat Biryani, he realized that his wife had other plans. She'd already left the kidney beans to soak for the night.

The next day, Jatin woke up to the whistle of the pressure cooker.

"Great, I woke up at 9 o'clock on a Sunday because of some stupid whistle. Malini yaar, make it stop. I'm trying to sleep", he shouted from under the covers.

In that instance, Malini yanked the comforter and asked Jatin to freshen up and come to the kitchen. Upon realizing that he had no other option but to heed his wife's orders, he got ready and entered a very unfamiliar territory- the kitchen.

After helping Jatin get acquainted with the kitchen, Malini revealed that they were going to cook madra today.

"But didn't you say we were having Rajma Chawal today? I was looking forward to it since you cook them nicely." Jatin looked a little disappointed. He wondered if madra was going to taste different from the rajma chawal he normally ate.

"We're having Rajma chawal but Himachali style. In Himachal, chickpeas, pulses, and rajma are usually cooked in Madra. Most of Himachali cuisine is sattvic and vegetarian, therefore, we're not even going to use onions or garlic today. Usually, Madra is served in a Dham or festive celebration.

Legend has it that the descendants of Lord Rama ruled the region of Chamba. It was during the reign of King Jaistambha that the Kashmiri Wazwan was recreated according to the local traditions of Chamba. Madra was formed as a result of the amalgamation of cooking styles from Kashmir and Chamba.

Although Rajma came to India in the 15th century, it seems that the beans found their home here. And when Chamba became popular for producing good quality Rajma, the Rajma Madra became the main dish of the Chambyali Dham." Malini replied while opening the pressure cooker full of Rajma.

"What is this dry leaf floating here?" asked Jatin.

"It is called Tej Patta or bay leaf. The rule is to soak the rajma overnight, and while cooking it in the pressure cooker, you add 1 tej patta, 2 cardamoms, 2 cloves, and 1 medium-sized cinnamon stick. Then, you add a tablespoon of salt. Put the lid back on and allow it to cook for 15-20 minutes. If you have been cooking for a long time, you'll know once the Rajma is done. But it's always ideal to check if the beans have cooked properly."

Malini opened the lid and checked the beans. “Perfect”, she thought.

She then took out a pan and added 2 tablespoons of ghee, a pinch of hing, and a few cumin seeds. Jatin almost jumped and spilt the curd when he heard the seeds pop. She asked Jatin to slowly pour the whisked curd into the pan of hot ghee while Malini stirred the concoction.

"Stirring the curd on low flame is necessary to avoid splitting. Once it starts to thicken up and you see the ghee splitting, add half a spoon of turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, and saunf (fennel) powder. Mix it well and stir for about 1-2 minutes." Malini spoke while tending to the Madra.

Jatin strained the water from the cooked rajma and added them to the gravy. Malini began mixing the ingredients once again. She covered the pan with a lid and let it simmer on low heat for 10-12 minutes.

When they sat down to eat, Jatin looked at the scrumptious Rajma Madra and rice in front of him. The first bite was utterly divine. He never thought a simple dish like this could taste so delicious.

Malini watched Jatin devour spoonfuls of rajma rice. They say that the simplest of dishes taste even better when cooked with love, for Malini and Jatin, it came true. In fact, Jatin’s newest addition to his list of comfort foods was Himachali Rajma!

The Kidney beans that came to India centuries ago are now a staple in almost every Indian household. The Rajma Madra or Himachali Rajma is a dish for all seasons to be cooked and had with your loved ones.