A MEAL YOU CAN MAKE

Rajma with basmati rice

Creamy kidney beans and tomato served over plain basmati rice.

About 65 minutes · 2 servings · Hob · large lidded pan · knife · board · measuring tools

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Ingredients · 2 servings

Allergens: No major UK allergen intentionally added; check spice blends. Check all ingredient labels; brands and substitutions can change allergens. Check ingredient packets and any substitutions.

Estimated nutrition per serving

~624 kcal · 30g protein · 110g carbohydrate · 10g fat.

Calculated from ingredient references. Brands, swaps, portions and cooking losses change the result.

The method

  1. Get everything ready

    Rinse 140g basmati rice (dry). Drain 480g tinned kidney beans; use ready-cooked tinned beans, never dry beans in this short method. Prepare onion, garlic and ginger. Split 480ml water: two thirds for the rice, one third for the sauce.

  2. Start the rice

    Put the rice and its water in the pan. Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover and turn the heat low.

  3. Cook the rice

    Keep covered on low, following the packet time if longer. If still hard, add a little hot water and cook longer.

  4. Rest the rice

    Switch off the burner. Leave the rice covered without lifting the lid. Transfer to a covered serving bowl just before making the sauce.

  5. Cook the spice base

    Warm 15ml rapeseed oil in the emptied pan. Soften 120g onion (diced), then stir in 10g garlic (minced), 10g ginger (grated), 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp ground coriander for the final minute.

  6. Simmer the rajma

    Add 400g tinned tomatoes, beans, 1 tsp garam masala and the reserved sauce water. Simmer gently, partially covered, until the sauce thickens. Mash a spoonful of beans to make it creamy.

  7. Check and serve

    Check the beans are steaming hot. Serve with the freshly cooked rice. Serve rice straight away. Cool any leftovers within one hour, refrigerate and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.

    Check: Confirm all earlier doneness checks before serving. A timer alone cannot confirm food is ready.

  8. Make the kitchen ready again

    Switch off heat that is no longer needed. Put leftovers in shallow containers for prompt cooling. Serve rice straight away. Cool any leftovers within one hour, refrigerate and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Let hot equipment become safe to handle, then wash the pan, tray and utensils before the next dish. Allow longer if needed.

Cooling, storing & reheating

Serve rice straight away. Divide leftovers into small portions, cool within one hour and refrigerate at 0–5°C. Use within 24 hours. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout. Follow any stricter pack instructions.

Owner-reported kitchen testing covers this recipe at 2 and 4 servings.

Preparation: about 8 min · Cooking: about 42 min. The total also allows for preheating, resting and clearing up. Four portions can need extra batches and time.

Recipe background and sources

North Indian-inspired · tinned kidney bean adaptation. Morsilo’s quantities and instructions are our own development version. Reference recipes can use different amounts and methods.

Reference photos, when shown, illustrate the dish; they do not show a kitchen-tested Morsilo result.

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