Punjabi neighbours = nice smells, yummy food & cooking lessons... (Punjabi Rajma)

After finally finding a place to stay and moving in next door to a Punjabi family, my visa troubles got sorted (these two statements are not really connected, but I just wanted to show that my life kinda sorted itself out, and Karma made up for all the problems by giving me wonderful neighbours!). I've been working too hard and for a long time didn't have internet access, which is why December managed to sneak up without me writing a single blog entry in months!

I've been cooking throughout my silent period - Palak Paneer and Dum Aloo are current favourites - I've just not blogged about my kitchen exploits! Well the quiet period must come to an end... and it would have last weekend if it wasn't for the arrival of 8 gorgeous, chocolate brown, Labrabor puppies. On Saturday, Punjabi Auntie was meant to come round and teach us how to make Punjabi Chole. She turned up as expected, but so did some more unexpected visitors - Coco's puppies!


It meant I got to eat fantastic Chole whilst waiting for all the puppies to arrive, but I failed to get the full recipe. I'll catch up with Auntie again in a few weeks and just check the spice combinations for Chole. In the meantime, today was Rajma day and next week MOH (My Other Half) wants to try Dal Makhani...

Punjabi Rajma

1 cup white rajma with red speckles, soaked for 4-5 hours
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeera seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tbsp ginger paste
3-4 tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1 tsp chilli powder (to taste)
2 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder
1 tsp rajma masala powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish


1. Wash rajma, place in pressure cooker with pinch of salt and 3-4 cups water. Cook for 3/4 whistles and leave to cool.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add jeera and cook for 30 seconds. Add onions and cook until golden brown.
3. Add garlic and ginger paste and cook for a further 30 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cook for about a minute, then add the haldi, chilli, dhaniya, rajma masala, garam masala and salt. Stir and leave to cook over a medium heat until oil separates (about 5 minutes or so).
5. Once pressure cooker has cooled enough to open, add the paste to the cooked rajma. Stir well and mash some rajma against the side of the pan. Bring to the boil and check seasoning.
6. Garnish with coriander and serve with paratha / roti or fresh, steamed rice.


This version is really yummy, especially as Punjabi Auntie has her own special Garam Masala mix, which we've asked her to get for us!

MOH's family were visiting us today when all of this happened, so everyone was well fed and Auntie got a treat too. MOH's mum taught her how to make a particular Gujarati mithai that she really liked which we'd given as a gift earlier in the year. Unfortunately I didn't get to see how to make this, as I had to stay home and look after Coco and the puppies (poor me!).