Wondering how to cook Rajma in Instant Pot? Don’t worry I have you covered with this step-by-step detailed Kashmiri rajma recipe using Instant Pot or Nutricook Smart Pot Eko. Both of these electronic pressure cookers are equally good in converting pressure cooker Indian recipes for smarter cooking. This Instant pot rajma comes together without standing for long hours while stirring the pot. All you need to do is saute and prepare the gravy, dump in the soaked kidney beans or rajma and let the electric pressure cooker do its job.
If you are a fan of the Rajma-Chawal combo, then this instant pot rajma recipe is going to be your favourite. I have used my stovetop Rajma Masala recipe here and converted it into Instant Pot Rajma Recipe. Actually, it became quite streamlined and easy.
I know many people ask for a rajma recipe for Instant Pot without soaking, however, I would always suggest you soak the kidney beans or rajma overnight. It isn’t anything hard to do or that requires a lot of supervision. Just dump the kidney beans and some water in a bowl and let it be for the night. Next morning, discard the soaking liquid and wash the beans nicely. That’s it. This will cut down the cooking time drastically and help you save money as well.
How to cook Rajma in Instant Pot
To begin with, let me tell you that I have used my Nutricook Smart Pot Eko (Affiliate Link) which is quite similar to the Instant Pot itself. You will get all the cooking options mentioned here in both the appliances. So, I have got you covered even if you have either of them in your kitchen.
In our kitchens, the pressure cooker has already established its dominance. I have two of these and always feel like having another one for smaller batch cooking or a bigger one when I am expecting guests and I am planning to make a big batch of my Bengali Mutton Curry. So, transitioning to an Instant Pot or a Nutricook Smart Pot was a no-brainer for me.
It hardly took me any extra effort to assimilate this appliance into my daily cooking. Already I relied heavily on pressure cookers, and now I can manage my daily cooking even more efficiently. All I have to do is saute the gravy base and dump everything together before putting it on the cooking mode. That’s it. No need to stand over it. I am totally free to go about and finish the rest of the chores or grab a cup of tea.
For beginners, converting the Indian recipe for Instant Pot might take some time as one needs to get accustomed to the cooking time for each ingredient such as chicken, meat, legumes or vegetables. But once that gets sorted, daily cooking becomes much simpler.
So, let’s check out how long to cook rajma in Instant Pot.
How to make Rajma Masala in Instant Pot- Ingredients list
- Kidney Beans or Rajma
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Ginger & Garlic
- Powdered Spices like Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, etc.
- Dried Fenugreek Leaves or Kasoori Methi
- Green Chilli
- Mustard Oil
Step-by-step instructions on how to cook Rajma in Instant Pot
- Soak the Rajma or Kidney Beans overnight in clean water. The next morning, discard the water and wash the Rajma beans well.
- Plugin the Instant Pot or Nutricook Smart Pot and switch it on. Select the SAUTE MODE and you will see the timer showing 30 mins on the screen. Select the START button. The stainless steel pot inside will slowly heat up and get ready for cooking
- Pour Mustard Oil and once you see it smoking, drop the chopped Garlic and Onion in it. Saute till it turns translucent. Next, add the chopped Tomatoes and grated Ginger. Mix everything well.
- As the tomatoes turn mushy, add salt, green chilli and powdered spices. Mix everything well. Soon you will see the spice mix drying up.
- Now, add the soaked rajma or kidney beans, 2 cups of water and the kasoori methi rubbed between palms. Stir nicely.
- Now, press CANCEL and then click PRESSURE COOK mode. Set the timer at 40 mins and press START.
- Place the Instant Pot lid on and switch the pressure release valve to SEALING Mode.
- Once the cooking is done, the pot will ring a tune. Now you can either use a long handle of a ladle to switch the release valve to VENTING for quick depressurising. Be very careful as there may be spluttering of hot liquid through the pressure release valve.
- You can also allow it to depressurise on its own, which in my opinion is a much safer option.
- Once the pot is ready to open, remove the lid and give the rajma a stir. Check for doneness by picking up a rajma and pressing it. In case it needs more cooking, repeat the pressure cook stage for another 4-5 mins or as long as it requires.
- Otherwise, serve hot. If you are not ready to serve it yet, keep the pot plugged in and place the lid back on. It will keep the rajma warm.
If you wish you can easily use the base gravy recipe for this Instant Pot Rajma recipe. Simply follow my instructions for cooking it in an Instant Pot. This way you will get your favourite and best rajma recipe in Instant Pot.
Serving ideas for Instant Pot Rajma Masala
As I told you earlier, Rajma Chawal is a sacrosanct combination in an Indian household. So, you can make some quick Jeera Rice to go with this. Otherwise, if you are like me, you can make some hot phulkas or chapattis or even paranthas for an equally delicious meal.
Post-cooking care for an Instant Pot or Nutricook Smart Pot Eko
Once the cooking is done, here are few things that you can do to keep your Instant Pot clean and ready for your next cooking.
- Once the cooking is done and you are ready to serve, remove the lid and empty the stainless steel cooking pot. Switch off the appliance. Check if there are splutters of food on the body of the Instant Pot. Clean it using a damp cloth. Do not use any abrasive material or you will end up scratching the body.
- Remove the silicone sealing gasket in the lid and wash it separately. If you think the gasket smells funky, dip it in a water & white vinegar solution for a couple of hours to deodorize it. Later wash it thoroughly and allow it to dry up.
- Wash the lid thoroughly using a sponge and mild detergent. Allow it to dry first before placing it back on the pot. You can also put this in the dishwasher.
- Wash the stainless steel cooking pot using a sponge and mild soap and allow it to dry.
- Keep the Instant Pot body open for a couple of hours before assembling it to let it air a bit.
Looking for more such Instant Pot Recipes? Hereās few from my Blog
- Instant Pot Niramish Echorer Dalna | Jackfruit Curry Recipe
- Instant Pot Delhi-style Matar Kulcha Recipe
- Instant Pot Caramel Bread Pudding Recipe
Have you tried this recipe? I would love to hear about it.
Tag me on Instagram @priyankabhattacharya.sa or Facebook @hashdiaries and I will share it further.
Wondering how to cook Rajma in Instant Pot? Don't worry I have you covered with this step-by-step detailed kashmiri rajma recipe using Instant Pot or Nutricook Smart Pot Eko. Both of these electronic pressure cookers are equally good in converting pressure cooker Indian recipes for smarter cooking. This Instant pot rajma comes together without standing for long hours while stirring the pot. All you need to do is saute and prepare the gravy, dump in the soaked kidney beans or rajma and let the electric pressure cooker do its job.
- 1 cup Jammu Rajma Short & Dark red in appearance.
- 2 Onions Large Finely Chopped
- 2 inches Ginger Finely Chopped
- 8-10 Garlic Cloves Finely Chopped
- 4 Tomatoes Large Finely Chopped
- Salt To Taste
- 2 Green Chilies Mildly Spicy Slit in halves
- 2 tsp Red Chili Powder Kashmiri variant – For colour
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves or Kasoori Methi
-
Soak the Rajma or Kidney Beans overnight in clean water. The next morning, discard the water and wash the Rajma beans well.
-
Plugin the Instant Pot or Nutricook Smart Pot and switch it on. Select the SAUTE MODE and you will see the timer showing 30 mins on the screen. Select the START button. The stainless steel pot inside will slowly heat up and get ready for cooking
-
Pour Mustard Oil and once you see it smoking, drop the chopped Garlic and Onion in it. Saute till it turns translucent. Next, add the chopped Tomatoes and grated Ginger. Mix everything well.
-
As the tomatoes turn mushy, add salt, green chilli and powdered spices. Mix everything well. Soon you will see the spice mix drying up.
-
Now, add the soaked rajma or kidney beans, 2 cups of water and the kasoori methi rubbed between palms. Stir nicely.
-
Now, press CANCEL and then click PRESSURE COOK mode. Set the timer at 40 mins and press START.
-
Place the Instant Pot lid on and switch the pressure release valve to SEALING Mode.
-
Once the cooking is done, the pot will ring a tune. Now you can either use a long handle of a ladle to switch the release valve to VENTING for quick depressurising. Be very careful as there may be spluttering of hot liquid through the pressure release valve.
-
You can also allow it to depressurise on its own, which in my opinion is a much safer option.
-
Once the pot is ready to open, remove the lid and give the rajma a stir. Check for doneness by picking up a rajma and pressing it. In case it needs more cooking, repeat the pressure cook stage for another 4-5 mins or as long as it requires.
-
Otherwise, serve hot. If you are not ready to serve it yet, keep the pot plugged in and place the lid back on. It will keep the rajma warm.
Recipe Video
Post-cooking care for an Instant Pot or Nutricook Smart Pot Eko
Once the cooking is done, here are few things that you can do to keep your Instant Pot clean and ready for your next cooking.
- Once the cooking is done and you are ready to serve, remove the lid and empty the stainless steel cooking pot. Switch off the appliance. Check if there are splutters of food on the body of the Instant Pot. Clean it using a damp cloth. Do not use any abrasive material or you will end up scratching the body.
- Remove the silicone sealing gasket in the lid and wash it separately. If you think the gasket smells funky, dip it in a water & white vinegar solution for a couple of hours to deodorize it. Later wash it thoroughly and allow it to dry up.
- Wash the lid thoroughly using a sponge and mild detergent. Allow it to dry first before placing it back on the pot. You can also put this in the dishwasher.
- Wash the stainless steel cooking pot using a sponge and mild soap and allow it to dry.
- Keep the Instant Pot body open for a couple of hours before assembling it to let it air a bit.
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