Rajma Pulao | Kidney Beans Pilaf

Rajma pulao recipe with step by step photos. This is a fragrant rice pulao or pilaf made with kidney beans, rice, aromatics, herbs and spices. It makes for a filling and heart lunch or dinner. Vegan and gluten-free recipe.

Rajma or kidney beans are a legume that is a good source of protein, fibre and vitamins-minerals. Apart from making the usual sunday Rajma recipe on weekends, I also make this pulao or this easy Rajma Sundal.

If you like kidney beans, you will like this pulao too. The aroma that will waft in your kitchen when the pressure cooker releases the steam is something you won’t expect from a simple pulao recipe. Try this recipe and you will love it.

When making rajma pulao, make sure that the rajma is cooked well. Usually, rajma or chana are soaked overnight or for 8 to 9 hours so that they take less time to cook.

In the recipe post, I have cooked both kidney beans and rice in a stovetop pressure cooker, but you can also cook them in a pan on the stovetop. Details are given in the notes section of recipe card below. However it will more time to cook them in the pan on the stovetop.

If you have Instant pot then cook the kidney beans in them first adding water as needed and then adapt the recipe with the Instant pot functions.

This delicious rajma pulao goes best with raita. Though a shorba (onion tomato gravy) will also go very well with it. Some more gravies that you can pair can be Mirchi ka Salan or a Veg Kurma. I had made capsicum raita and it complemented the pulao very well.

How to make Rajma Pulao

1. A night before or for 8 to 9 hours, rinse ½ cup rajma a couple of times in fresh water and then soak them in enough water in a bowl.

This recipe will get done quickly and prep time will be reduced if you use canned beans. However I always prefer to use dried beans when making kidney bean recipe. If using canned kidney beans then jump to step 6.

Ensure that you are using the fresh kidney beans and not the aged ones. The rajma should be in their shelf life. The aged rajma beans take a lot of time to cook.

2. The next day, discard the soaked water, then rinse the rajma beans again very well in running water. Drain the water again.

3. Add the rajma to a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. You can also add ¼ teaspoon salt if you want.

4. Pressure cook rajma for 15 to 20 whistles or for 12 to 17 minutes. First, I cooked the beans for 15 whistles and found that they were still uncooked from the center. So I pressure cooked for 5 whistles more.

Rajma has to be cooked very well. There should be no rawness or bite in the rajma. Pressure cooking time will vary depending on the quality of the rajma. Fresh kidney beans cook faster than aged beans.

5. When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only remove the lid. Strain the rajma. Keep aside.

6. Before you keep the rajma for cooking, rinse 1 heaped cup of basmati rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak the rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes.

Instead of basmati rice, you can also use any non-sticky variety of long-grained rice or medium-grained rice. Sona masuri rice will also work.

7. After 20 to 30 minutes strain the rice of all the water and keep aside.

8. In a mortar-pestle take 1 inch ginger (roughly chopped), 6 to 7 garlic cloves (roughly chopped) and 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped.

9. Crush to a coarse paste. You can also use a small grinder to make this paste. Keep aside.

Making rajma pulao

10. Just rinse the same stovetop pressure cooker in which the rajma beans were cooked, with water and then keep it again on the stovetop.

Add 3 tablespoons of oil. When the oil becomes hot, lower the heat and add these whole spices:

• 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• 3 cloves
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

11. Let the spices crackle on low heat.

12. Now add ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions.

13. On a low to medium heat, begin sauteing the onions stirring them often.

14. Saute the onions till they start to become golden.

15. Now add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chilli paste along with ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.

16. Stir and saute on low heat till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away. This takes a few seconds.

17. Add the cooked rajma beans.

18. Next add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. Stir and mix well.

19. Add the soaked rice.

20. Season with salt as required.

21. Gently stir and mix the rice and salt with the rest of the ingredients.

22. Now add 2 cups of water. You can add 1.75 cups to 2 cups of water. Do add water depending on the quality of basmati rice. Stir and mix very well. Check the taste of the water and it should taste a bit salty.

23. Lastly add ½ teaspoon lemon juice and stir again.

24. Cover and pressure cook pulao on a medium to high heat for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes. When the pressure comes down on its own, then only open the lid and gently fluff the pulao.

25. Serve rajma pulao hot garnished with some chopped coriander leaves with your favorite raita or salad or mango pickle. I served it with capsicum raita.

Few more pulao varieties for you !

• Tawa pulao
• Paneer pulao
• Pulao recipe
• Peas pulao
• Kashmiri pulao

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

This Rajma Pulao post from the blog archives first published in May 2016 has been republished and updated on 20 January 2022.