Rajma Madra
Madra is associated with Himachali cooking and typically relies on yoghurt, legumes and a rich spice profile rather than tomato-heavy gravy. This is a Zaika Potli adaptation using rajma and the Jammu Rajma infusion for the aromatic whole-spice layer while keeping the yoghurt-led identity intact.
Servings
4
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
55 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Extra Time
Soaking Time: 8–10 hours
✨ Zaika Potli Secret Technique
Pressure-cook 1 Jammu Rajma potli with the rajma. Remove before adding the beans to the yoghurt gravy.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Rajma — 1¼ cups / 250 g
- Water — 4½ cups
- Jammu Rajma — 1 potli
For the Yoghurt Gravy
- Thick full-fat curd — 1½ cups / 360 g, whisked
- Ghee — 2 tbsp
- Besan — 1 tsp
- Turmeric — ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder — 1 tsp
- Kashmiri chilli powder — ¼ tsp
- Salt — 1¼ tsp
- Cooked rajma — all of the above
- Rajma cooking liquid — ¾ cup, as required
For Finishing
- Fresh coriander — 1 tbsp, optional
Cooking Instructions
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1Soak rajma overnight.
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2Pressure-cook with water and the Jammu Rajma potli until completely tender.
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3Remove the potli and reserve the beans with about 1 cup of their cooking liquid.
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4Whisk the curd with besan, turmeric, coriander powder and chilli powder until perfectly smooth.
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5Heat ghee in a heavy kadai over low-medium heat.
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6Add the yoghurt mixture gradually while whisking continuously.
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7Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for the first 6–8 minutes so the curd does not split.
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8Once the mixture is hot and stable, continue cooking until it becomes slightly glossy and loses its raw yoghurt aroma.
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9Add the cooked rajma and ½ cup cooking liquid.
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10Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes. Add more cooking liquid if the gravy becomes too thick.
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11Season with salt and continue simmering for another 2 minutes.
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12Finish with coriander if using.
💡 Chef's Pro Tip
Use full-fat curd at room temperature and keep the heat moderate. Cold, low-fat yoghurt added to a very hot pan is much more likely to split.
🍽️ Perfect Serving Pairings
My Take On Rajma Madra
Madra is associated with Himachali cooking and typically relies on yoghurt, legumes and a rich spice profile rather than tomato-heavy gravy. This is a Zaika Potli adaptation using rajma and the Jammu Rajma infusion for the aromatic whole-spice layer while keeping the yoghurt-led identity intact.
The Secret: Use full-fat curd at room temperature and keep the heat moderate. Cold, low-fat yoghurt added to a very hot pan is much more likely to split.