Rajma Masala with Tofu Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Onion (Finely diced)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
• Fresh ginger (A thumb-sized piece, grated; estimated at about 15 g)
• 1 Green chilli (Finely sliced)
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric
• 2 tbsp Tomato puree
• 400 g Chopped tomatoes (One 400 g tin)
• 300 g Silken tofu (Blend until smooth before adding)
• 1200 g Kidney beans (Three 400 g tins, drained; estimated drained weight is about 720 g total)
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• Salt (To taste)
• Brown rice (For serving; estimated at 240 g uncooked rice for 4 servings, cooked according to packet instructions)
• Kachumber salad (To serve; quantity not specified, estimated at 400 g)
• Cream (Optional swirl to serve; quantity not specified, estimated at 60 g)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the brown rice according to the packet instructions. Keep it warm while preparing the curry.

2. 2

   Blend the silken tofu in a blender or food processor until completely smooth and creamy. Set it aside.

3. 3

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat.

4. 4

   Add the cumin seeds to the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute, until they begin to pop and smell fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the finely diced onion. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden rather than merely translucent.

6. 6

   Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced green chilli. Cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and softened.

7. 7

   Add the tomato puree and stir it into the aromatics. Cook for 1 minute so the puree darkens slightly and loses its raw taste.

8. 8

   Add the chopped tomatoes and blended silken tofu. Stir thoroughly until the tofu is incorporated into a smooth, creamy sauce.

9. 9

   Add the drained kidney beans and season with salt. Stir carefully to coat the beans in the sauce.

10. 10

    Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are hot and the sauce has thickened.

11. 11

    Stir in the garam masala. Taste and add more salt if needed.

12. 12

    Serve the rajma masala over the warm brown rice, accompanied by kachumber salad and an optional swirl of cream.

Notes

The source describes this as a 30–40 minute weeknight meal. The cream is listed as a serving suggestion and can be omitted; use a plant-based cream to keep the dish vegan. Use the drained weight of the kidney beans when calculating nutrition or scaling the recipe.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• curry
• Indian-inspired
• vegan if plant-based cream is used
• vegetarian
• high-fiber
• high-protein
• weeknight meal