Vegan Rajma Masala

Oil and dairy-free delicious and healthy Rajma Masala recipe 

Delicious, warm and aromatic Rajma Masala recipe brings back memories of Ma's Rajma Chawal, doesn't it?

Whole Food Plant Based Rajma Masala Recipe

Course: Side dish for Course 3: Grain Dishes at Lunch & Dinner Meals
Cuisine: North Indian Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Passive Time: 5 hours
Servings: 2 people

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 cup Red Rajma / Red Kidney Beans
2. 1 Bay Leaves
3. 1 stick Cinnamon
4. 1 Onion Red
5. 1 Tomatoes
6. 1 inch piece Ginger
7. 4 cloves Garlic
8. 1 tsp Cumin / Jeera Powder
9. 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder
10. 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
11. 1/4 cup Cashews
12. Juice of 1 Lemon
13. 2 tsp Miso Paste (Healthy Salt Replacement. See Nutrition Science Highlights below)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak rajma / red kidney beans overnight. Pressure cook soaked rajma with bay leaf and cinnamon until well cooked.
2. Peel and mash / grind garlic. Keep aside for ten minutes to rest.
3. Peel onions. Grind onions, tomato, and ginger. Heat on a kadai and cook.
4. After ten minutes of waiting, add garlic paste and cook for two minutes, then remove from stove and mix with cooked rajma.
5. Mix in cumin / jeera powder, turmeric powder, and pepper powder. Grind lemon juice and miso paste with some of the cooked rajma, then mix back into the rajma masala.
6. Grind soaked cashews to a smooth paste and garnish rajma masala with cashew paste. Serve fresh!

Nutrition Science Highlights for WFPB Rajma Masala Recipe

1. Why not dairy? Dairy products have been found to be associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, asthma, PCOS, and heart disease. We can still enjoy our milk, cream, and butter though - as long as they are made from whole plant foods!
2. Why legumes? Legumes are the #1 number food associated with long life in many recent large studies! They also fuel your gut microbiome through their resistant starch content and slow down glucose absorption, keeping your blood sugar levels steady - even in the next meal! This has been called the Second Meal Effect. This recipe is one of the yummiest ways to include pulses and legumes in your daily diet.
3. Why miso paste? Miso paste is fermented & salted soya bean paste. American Heart Association Maximum recommended maximum daily salt intake of 3.75 grams per person to minimise risk of high blood pressure, stomach cancer and chronic kidney disease. In addition to helping us restrict salt intake, replacing salt with miso paste also helps by neutralising the negative effects of salt by soya phytonutrients. You can easily make fresh miso paste at home by mixing 100 grams of cooked soya paste with 10 grams of salt, or 10 tablespoons of cooked soya paste with 1 tablespoon of salt. If making at home, ensure to use immediately, or freeze in batches to use later. Or, simply use 3.75 grams of salt or less per day per person and add 18 to 20 grams (dry weight) of soya beans in any dishes, spread through the day!