By Dr.Sirisha Potluri:
High fiber in Beans promotes digestive tract health, and folate & magnesium in them makes them a perfect heart healthy food.
Beans are as powerful as exercise in bringing down one’s resting heart rate.
Adding lot of oil and ghee while cooking might negate these health benefits.
Soaking kidney beans
Soaking beans in water with lemon juice for 12 hours or more neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid and also breaks down complex sugars that are difficult to digest. The use of traditional spices such as cumin which facilitate digestion. Skimming the foam during cooking and long cooking times and are also useful.
Add rajma to a large bowl and rinse them well a few times in lot of water. Pour fresh water and soak for at least 8 hours.
While you soak them , do not cover the pot completely. There must be a circulation of air to the soaked beans especially during hot summer days otherwise the beans turn sticky. Rinse them thoroughly before cooking.
To cook in Instant pot – manual Pressure cook on high pressure for 30 mins. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
Ingredients:
3-4 cups cooked Kidney beans ( soaked overnight and cooked in instant pot)
2 medium onions chopped
5-6 tomatoes blended to form paste
3-4 green chili thinly chopped
1-2 teaspoons Ginger garlic paste
3-4 bay leaves
4-5 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Ginger cut into long thin strips to add as garnish
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ to ¾ red chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1¼ teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon of cumin seed powder
1-2 Big bunches of cilantro
Tamarind paste 1-2 teaspoons
Date paste – 1-2 teaspoons
½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
1.Heat a thick bottom pan and add cumin seeds, bay leaves and cloves, sauté for a minute, then add green Chili’s and diced onion and sauté until it is translucent.
2.Now add ginger garlic paste and sauté everything, and add, red chili powder, cumin seed powder and coriander seed powder.sauté these on medium flame and then add tamarind and date paste too.
3.Add tomatoes paste and mix everything well and cook together for 2-3 minutes.
4.Add cooked kidney beans along with water and let everything cook together for 5-6 minutes.
5.Off the stove and add 1 teaspoon garam masala and chopped cilantro.
Jeera rice ( cumin seed seeds with brown rice)
Ingredients:
2-3 cups Cooked brown rice
2-3 tablespoons of cumin seeds
2 medium onions sliced
2-3 green chili
Few whole spices like cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves.
1 -2 tablespoons of cashews
Instructions:
Heat a thick bottom pan and add spices and sauté on low flame until aroma is released, add onions green chili and cashews . Sauté all these for few minutes then add brown rice and mix well.
Off the Stove And add some cilantro and mint leaves. Add salt according to taste
