Curry, red kidney bean, Punjabi

Dassana Amit’s Punjabi Rajma Masala is her restaurant-style kidney-bean curry in onion-and-tomato gravy. This selection uses her documented dark-red kidney-bean option, stovetop pressure cooking, butter with oil, and the optional light-cream, dried-fenugreek and coriander finishes.

The dried red kidney beans are sorted, rinsed and soaked, then their soaking water is discarded and they are rinsed again in fresh water and drained. They pressure-cook in their separate cooking water. While they cook, onion and tomato are finely chopped and ginger, garlic and green chillies are crushed in the selected mortar and pestle, then kept aside.

After pressure falls naturally, the cooker lid is opened and beans are checked by pressing them with the fingers, with more of the cooking water and further pressure cooking if needed. Butter and oil heat in the separate selected pan with cumin seeds. The chopped onion cooks to golden brown with frequent stirring, then the same crushed ginger-garlic-chilli paste and chopped tomatoes join. Turmeric, red chilli powder, ground coriander, the selected optional asafoetida and garam masala are sautéed until fat leaves the masala sides.

The selected slotted spoon transfers the cooked beans into the masala. They are stirred and sautéed, then fresh gravy water and salt are added. The curry simmers uncovered and a few beans are mashed with a spoon to thicken it, with stirring at intervals.

When the gravy reaches its medium consistency, the selected crushed dried fenugreek leaves and light cream are mixed in and simmered briefly before the heat is turned off. Supplied chopped coriander leaves provide the optional garnish. This selection serves the curry with prepared steamed basmati rice.