Kidney beans slow-cooked in the madra style — a thick yogurt and ghee gravy with whole spices, cooked at low heat without the yogurt boiling. The second most prepared dham dish in Himachal Pradesh after chickpea madra.
Ingredients
1.5 cups rajma (kidney beans) — soaked overnight
2 cups full-fat yogurt — beaten completely smooth
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 green cardamom — crushed
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
2 bay leaf
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
a pinch of sugar
Method
Pressure cook the rajma: Drain soaked kidney beans. Pressure cook with 3 cups fresh water and a pinch of salt on high for first whistle then medium for 12 to 15 whistles until completely soft and creamy. Drain, saving 1/2 cup cooking water.
Heat ghee: Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a heavy, wide pot on medium. Generous ghee is essential for madra.
Add whole spices: Add cumin seeds, crushed cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Sizzle for 20 seconds.
Add asafoetida and ginger: Add asafoetida, stir 5 seconds. Add ginger paste, stir continuously for 1 minute.
Add dry spices on lowest heat: Turn to the absolute lowest heat. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric and black pepper. Stir on low for 2 minutes.
Add yogurt — never boil it: Turn off flame for 30 seconds. Add the beaten smooth yogurt. Turn heat to the very lowest setting. Stir continuously for 6 to 8 minutes — the yogurt will warm, thicken and turn pale golden. Never let it boil or bubble.
Add the cooked rajma: Add the drained kidney beans and a little of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir gently.
Add sugar and salt: Stir in sugar and salt.
Simmer at lowest heat 20 minutes: Cook on the very lowest heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until the yogurt gravy thickens and coats the beans. The rajmah madra should look creamy-pale-golden, not curdled or watery.
Serve with rice: Serve alongside steamed rice as part of the Dham meal.
Note: Rajmah Madra is inseparable from the Himachali Dham feast — served alongside chickpea madra, rice and the rest of the Dham menu. The Kullu and Shimla districts are particularly associated with rajmah cultivation at altitude — the local red kidney beans grown in these valleys have a distinctive flavour. The madra technique (low-temperature yogurt cooking) is the same across all madra variations.