Kashmiri Rajma Shalgam - Instant Pot Kidney Beans and Turnip

Shilpa

This recipe is very fast to make and is delicious. It is different from the typical Punjabi red kidney beans (rajma) recipe.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Rajma soaking time 8

Total Time 55

Servings: 4

Cuisine: Kashmiri, North Indian

1 cup dried small red kidney beans (Kashmiri red small rajma) (washed and soaked in 3 cups of water overnight)
1 turnip (roughly 1.5 cups when chopped)
1/3 cup oil of choice
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
2 cups water (divided)
2.5 tsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
1 and 1/4 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
1 and 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 whole cloves (laung)
1/2 tsp baking soda (not required but recommended)

Prep

Wash and soak the kidney beans overnight in 3 cups water. Discard the water that was used to soak the beans overnight before cooking.
When ready to cook, rinse and peel the turnip. Cut the top and bottom edges and discard. Chop it into 4 to 5 inch cubes. Set aside in a plate.

Cook

Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal.
Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.
When the cumin seeds splutter add in Kashmiri chili powder and 1/4 cup water. Additionally, keep stirring for about 30 seconds to a minute.
Add in ground fennel, ground ginger, salt, garam masala, whole cloves, baking soda and mix well. Furthermore add the red beans and 1 and 3/4 cup water. Stir well.
Finally, close the pressure sealing valve and select manual/high pressure for 50 minutes, if using Kashmiri Rajma and 35 minutes if using Mexican rajma.
When cooking is complete, use quick release to depressurize. Open the lid. Add the chopped turnips into the pot and stir well.
Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve. Select manual and cook at high pressure for 7 minutes. when done quick release the pressure and open the lid.
Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve

This recipe has been tried on a 6-quart instant pot. The proportions may vary depending on the size of the instant pot you choose to use.
Most of the spices/ingredients are available in the Indian grocery store or on Amazon.
Kashmiri red chili powder instantly imparts a vibrant red color to any dish and is not very spicy.
This dish is not very spicy. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would place it at 2.5. It is supposed to be very flavorful.
Baking soda is recommended to soften the beans and reduce the pressure cooking time. I live in an area where the water is hard and it takes a very long time for the beans to soften in hard water. Kashmiri beans take longer than normal to soften so I would highly recommend using baking soda for this recipe.
You can add the garam masala in the end after the rajma is cooked instead of putting it with all the spices. I personally, like to throw all the spices in together.
If you dont have Kashmiri rajma, you can use mexican red kidney beans.
Some people like to sauté the turnips separately and then pressure cook them. I have eliminated that step and pressure cooked them directly.