Rajma Sambar/Thamdi Beeya Kolombo or red kidney beans Indian spiced gravy is a typical Konkani amchi (from the city of Mangalore in south India) variation of the quintessential south Indian sambar traditionally made with lentils like toor dal or yellow split peas and sometimes a mix of onions and vegetables. Paired with hot steaming rice and a stir fry vegetable on the side; it is the ultimate comfort food for us. Sambar is popularly known all over the world as a south Indian lentil-based Indian stew generally served with dosas (savory rice-lentil Indian crepes), idlis (steamed rice-lentil cakes) and most times poured over rice and enjoyed as a soothing and comforting south Indian meal in most homes!
In our house, when rice is the main staple during lunch times, every meal is planned keeping in mind to have a gravy to serve with rice like Dalithoy, Alasande Beeye Saaru Upkari, Vaali Ambat, Magge Koddel etc. My favorite when preparing rajma or red kidney beans is sometimes cooking the beans and giving it a tempering of just garlic and dry red chillies in ghee called thambdi beeye (red kidney beans) saaru upkari (gravy based curry); mmm, heaven! On days when I get bored with the garlic seasoning, I love to temper it with just mustard seeds, hing/asafetida and some curry leaves! Unlike north Indian curries or dishes, Konkani dishes almost have very few distinct spices in each dish. Some curries like green beans stir fry and green peas upkari have only mustard and dry red chillies as the aromatics. Broccoli talasani has only garlic and dry red chillis! Using minimal spices, the true taste and flavor of the vegetable comes out, for us to enjoy in its entirety! Rajma sambar is also made with just a few ingredients. If you have sambar powder (readily available in all Indian stores), either store bought or homemade, making this easy rajma sambar is very easy. Just cook the beans, add tamarind extract and sambar powder and a final seasoning or tempering of just ghee (use oil if vegan), mustard seeds and hing with curry leaves. That is it! I would say, it is the ultimate comfort food for all us Konkani amchis! Served with a dollop of fresh ghee on top and mixed in with hot, steaming Basmati rice and a side dish of vegetable stir fry, rajma sambar is my ultimate favorite soothing and comfort food!
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Lets make us some kidney beans sambar!
1 cup red kidney beans 1 small lemon sized tamarind soaked in ½ cup water or 1 tsp tamarind paste 2 teaspoons sambhar powder Salt to taste FOR TEMPERING: 2 tsp ghee/clarified butter or coconut oil 1 tsp mustard seeds ¼ tsp hing/asafetida Few curry leaves Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions Notes The same sambar can be made with white beans (Northern beans), black-eyed peas etc. too. Adjust the amount of tamarind extract or paste according to your taste.
How to make Rajma Sambar:
Soak kidney beans/rajma in plenty of water overnight. Next day, drain, add 3 cups of water and cook either in a pressure cooker or saucepan until well cooked and soft. Squeeze the soaked tamarind (if using the fresh tamarind) and extract juice. Keep the pulp aside; you can add more water again to this to make additional tamarind extract if needed later.
To this, add 2 tsp of sambar powder and mix to form a slurry.
Once the beans are cooked, transfer to a saucepan along with the cooking water and bring to a boil.
Add salt to taste and the tamarind-sambar powder slurry. If using tamarind paste, add at this stage along with sambar powder (mixed in some water to form a homogenous mixture or it will form lumps). Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat and adjust taste; salt and sourness according to taste.
Meanwhile, prepare the tempering or seasoning: Heat oil/ghee in a small saucepan and once the oil/ghee is hot, add mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds have started to splutter and crackle, add hing and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds. Add this tempering to the simmering kidney beans sambar; garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro; give it a good mix and remove from heat.
Serve piping hot kidney bean sambar with rice, a vegetable stir fry and maybe a salad on the side for a complete vegan (if you omit the ghee and use only coconut or any other cooking oil) and healthy vegetarian Indian meal!!
Enjoy!!
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