Rajma (Kidney Beans)
Rajma is the Sunday-lunch bean — kidney beans simmered into a thick gravy for rajma chawal. Lal rajma is the classic deep-red bean; chitra is the speckled, softer-cooking variety.
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Rajma in Indian languages
| Language | Name | Pronounced |
|---|---|---|
| English | Kidney beans | kidney beans |
| Hindi | राजमा | Rajma |
| Tamil | ராஜ்மா | Rajma |
| Telugu | రాజ్మా | Rajma |
| Kannada | ರಾಜ್ಮಾ | Rajma |
| Marathi | राजमा | Rajma |
| Bengali | রাজমা | Rajma |
| Gujarati | રાજમા | Rajma |
| Punjabi | ਰਾਜਮਾਂਹ | Rajmaanh |
How to cook it
- Soak
- 8 hours or overnight (essential)
- Pressure cooker
- 6–7 whistles (typical)
- Water ratio
- 1 cup rajma : 3 cups water
- Stovetop
- 1.5–2 hours after soaking
Always cook kidney beans thoroughly until soft — never serve them undercooked.
Nutrition per 100 g
| sugar | 2 g |
|---|---|
| energy | 337 Kcal |
| protein | 23 g |
| carbohydrate | 61 g |
Indicative values for the dry pulse; cooking changes them.
Storage
Keep dry and airtight; whole beans keep up to a year.
Cook it tonight
Common questions
- What is the difference between chitra and lal rajma?
- Lal rajma is the classic dark-red kidney bean with a firm bite; chitra is speckled, a little softer and creamier when cooked.
- How long to soak rajma?
- At least 8 hours or overnight, then pressure cook 6–7 whistles until completely soft.
- What is rajma in English?
- Kidney beans.