Easy Navratri Recipe – Punjabi Rajma (No Onion, No Garlic)

I can’t believe I am going to say this – Rajma (Kidney Bean curry) recipe doesn’t even need garlic and onion. Literally. This recipe will make you forget that it doesn’t have these two special Indian curry ingredients. This is just perfect for the Navratri season. Also, if you are someone who doesn’t eat onion and garlic, this recipe is for you. You won’t be able to resist licking the plate.

Story Time

Jatin loves Rajma with rice a lot. It is one of his all-time favorite recipes. There is a particular kind of taste that he needs in his Rajma. It was a struggle for me to get that right taste for him. And when I decided to alter that perfectly set recipe and make it without onion and garlic, I thought that he won’t like it as much. Even I had my doubts because onion and garlic are two very important ingredients for Indian curry recipes. They add such a delicious flavor to the recipes that not adding them doesn’t feel right. I literally used to say that Rajma can not be made tasty without onion and garlic. But, I was absolutely wrong.

When I made this recipe, Jatin and I were surprised by the taste. We couldn’t even tell that it doesn’t have onion and garlic. We were literally talking that we don’t need these two ingredients for this recipe. It was like an eye-opener for us. It was extremely delicious, has that nice tangy and sweet flavor, and was thick enough to be enjoyed with rice. I even could not resist licking the utensil in which I made it. It was damn tasty and I am still craving it while writing this blog.

What is the Navratri Festival?

Navratri (also known as Navaratri or Navrate), is a joyous Hindu festival. It is celebrated over 9 to 10 days. “Navratri” is a word from the Sanskrit language – Nav means nine and Ratri means night. This festival is celebrated two times a year, once in the spring (Chaitra Navratri) and once in the autumn (Sharad Navratri). Sharad Navratri falls during September or October and is widely celebrated all across India.

One of the main aspects of Navratri is fasting (known as Vrat or Upvas). During fasting, devotees avoid eating some foods, like grains, pulses, onions, garlic, alcohol, and non-vegetarian items. But they eat fasting food items like fruits, nuts, dairy products, etc.

What food items are allowed in Navratri?

Food items that are allowed during the Navratri season are as follows:

1. Vegetables like potato, tomato, arbi, cucumber, carrot, bottle gourd, eggplant, pumpkin, etc.
2. Fruits
3. Dairy Products
4. Coconut
5. Nuts and Seeds
6. Quinoa, Buckwheat, Little Millet (Samai or Samak), Water Chestnut Flour (Singhade Ka Aata).
7. Spices like cumin seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cardamom, carom seeds (ajwain), cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, etc.
8. Rock Salt

What food items are not allowed in Navratri?

Food items that are not allowed during the Navratri season are as follows:

1. Onion and Garlic: They are Tamsik in nature and hence not consumed.
2. Lentils and Pulses like moong dal, chana dal, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.
3. Grains and their flours like wheat flour, gram flour (besan), etc.
4. Eggs, Non-Vegetarian Food Items like chicken.
5. Alcohol (some people avoid smoking too).
6. Salt
7. Canned Food Items

Everybody has their own beliefs and follows their own rules during the fasting period. That is why, I suggest you adjust the recipes based on how you follow your fasting and celebrate Navratri.

TIPS TO MAKE IT RIGHT

1. Soaking Rajma: I always prefer to wash the kidney beans/rajma first and then soak it overnight. If you soak it first and then wash it, the red color of rajma also washes out. Hence, wash it well 2-3 times with water and then soak (with 3 inches higher water) overnight or for at least 6-8 hrs. If you don’t have much time, soak it in hot water for at least 1 hour.
2. Boiling Rajma: The rajma should be boiled perfectly. It should be soft enough that you can easily press it with your fingers. The water level is very important while boiling. If the water is not enough, the skin of rajma will come off and it will become mushy and won’t look good. Keep the water level at least 2-3 inches above the level of Rajma.
3. Gravy Color: To get a nice red color gravy, add red chili powder and turmeric powder (haldi) with tomato puree itself. It cooks for a long time and gives a very nice color to the gravy.
4. Gravy Consistency: The gravy thickens as it cools down. Hence, keep the consistency depending on when are you going to eat it.

ADJUSTMENTS – YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE

1. Tomato Puree: If you don’t have a grinder, you can also grate the tomatoes using a grater or simply chop them absolutely fine. The gravy will turn out just nice. Also, use soft and ripe tomatoes.
2. Kidney Beans or Rajma: You can even use canned rajma but make sure they don’t have sugar added to it. It makes the rajma quite sweet. If you do not prefer canned food in Navratri, use the packed ones as I used in this recipe.

By the way, you should also check out our authentic Punjabi Rajma recipe too.

Is this recipe Vegan-Friendly?

Yes. All the ingredients used in this recipe are plant-based and vegan.

Can this recipe be refrigerated?

Yes. Of course. Refrigerate the leftover rajma and consume it within 2 days. It tastes even better the next day because all the flavors get infused with each other well.

More Navratri Recipes

1. Roasted Makhana
2. Makhana Kheer
3. Amaranth and Dates Energy Bars
4. Quinoa Cutlets
5. Kuttu Ka Cheela (Savory Buckwheat Pancakes)
6. Sabudana Khichdi

Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make this delicious and mouth-watering Indian curry – Rajma – at home. It is perfect for lunch or a weekend brunch recipe. Make a little extra so that the next day you can even prepare leftover kidney bean wraps.

If you try this recipe & like it too, please share the photo of your creation on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa