RAJMA

Here is VM's Rajma recipe which she had given me 5 years back and still works wonders!

1.Soak rajma (big red kidney beans) in water - overnight.
2.Drain the water from the rajma and wash in water once. NEVER put that water in the pan thinking it's got vitamin as a lot of people think (it causes gas and is not good otherwise). Just throw it away.
3.Take 2 big onions, one whole big garlic with lots of pods, a slightly big ginger(about 2 inches), 2 red tomatoes. Chop everything and blend them to a puree. Your masala is ready.
4.If you do not use a pressure cooker, then boil rajma till done in some other pot. To do that, take rajma, add water and add some salt to it. Cook it until you can feel it's tender.
5.In a shallow non-stick pan,add 2-3 tbsp cooking oil. Add a little sugar. Let it become brown. Add the masala paste(point no.3). Saute till the water frm it starts to dry. Add turmeric(1tsp), chicken or meat masala
powder which ever you have(1 tbsp), kitchen king masala(1and a 1/2tbsp), chole masala (1tbsp), garam masala (1 tbsp), salt to taste, tej patta (bay leaves)-2nos., clover and green cardamom-2 each a little crushed. Mix
well.
6.Add Rajma now. Add water. If your Rajma is already tender then add water 1 inch above the Rajma in the pan. Add a little tomato sauce to it. Mix well. Cover and simmer.
7.Keep checking. When you see water geting thick and all mixed well, taste for salt. If ok, remove from gas. Keep aside.
Let it cool. Serve with onion rings and coriander leaves on top of rajma. Have with roti(bread) or rice.
(Same recipe for Chole (Chick peas),etc.)

Do not use Rajma masala. It makes the curry sour.
AD: For people who do not eat much spice (like me - hehehe), reduce the amount of masala.