Tamatar Malai Rajmah (Kidney Beans with Slow-Stewed Tomato Sauce)

Here's an easy curry to throw together if you have time for the simmering. I replaced the minced garlic and ginger with their paste equivalents to reduce the prep work still further. I also halved the salt, black cardamom, and cayenne called for in the recipe; the first two to cater to my tastes and the second to cater to the Kidlet's.

Tamatar Malai Rajmah

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 2 (3") cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves or Indian bay (cassia) leaves
• 1-2 black cardamom pods
• 4 Tbsp. garlic paste (or 4 large cloves of garlic¹, minced)
• 2-3 Tbsp. ginger paste (or 5 [1"x2"x1/4"] slices ginger, minced)
• 3 c. water, divided
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 c. fried onion paste
• 3 c. cooked red kidney beans
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1/2 tsp. Punjabi garam masala
• 2 Tbsp. fresh minced cilantro

Directions

1. Melt ghee over medium-high heat.
2. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and cardamom pod(s) and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
3. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
4. Add 1/2 c. water, tomato paste, paprika, salt, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and turmeric and reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in another 1/2 c. of water, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Repeat step 6 twice more.
8. Add fried onion paste, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining 1 c. water and kidney beans and increase heat to medium.
10. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for ~15 minutes.
11. Stir in cream and Punjabi garam masala and cook until warmed through (~2 minutes).
12. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cilantro.
13. Serve with rice and/or naan.

---

¹ You will probably have less than 4 Tbsp. of minced garlic. I always use a bit (or sometimes a lot) mare garlic paste than fresh garlic because its flavour is usually somewhat muted compared to fresh garlic. ^Back