Bun Rajma | Jammu Street Food is delicious, healthy protein-rich street food from Jammu. Soft, melt in the mouth bun pieces taste delicious with Rajma and chutney.
Rajma Chawal is a typical Punjabi dish. It is a Sunday lunch in most north Indian homes. The dish has gained popularity and is now available at many roadside stalls, restaurants, school canteens and Dhabbas. The Delhi street vendors serve the combo in a kulhad too and the earthy flavours are to die for. In Jammu, the street vendors serve Rajma with a bun or a kulcha To add an extra protein punch they add a big slice of paneer.
Jammu is famous for its local variety of Rajma. The Rajma is short, sweet, a little plump and has a deep red hue. Rajma refers to kidney beans and the prepared dish as well.
Since Rajma is so popular in Jammu, the street vendors serve Rajma with rice. Sometimes it is with a bun or a kulcha. They cut the bun or kulcha into pieces and top it with Rajma. The combo is a delicious melt in the mouth dish. Chutney, onion slices, and chaat masala are the add ons which tingle your taste buds. Doesn’t Bun Rajma remind you of the Bheega Kulcha from Amritsar? I could easily name the dish Rajma Bheega Bun (or Rajma Bheega Kulcha ) or simply Bheega Bun!
Bun Rajma is my Day 3 post under the Theme Street foods. I have chosen Indian Street Foods.
Ingredients required to make Bun Rajma | Jammu Street Food
Kidney Beans: I use the Kashmiri Rajma variety, it is short and deep red. Soak the beans overnight or for 6-8 hours. Change the water from time to time while you’re soaking or cooking the beans. Pouring off the water helps get rid of the indigestible complex sugars that create gas in your intestine. It also helps to cook the beans thoroughly.
Onions: I use fried onions to make the gravy, as I keep a box of these in the frig. They lend a beautiful colour to the gravy. You can also saute the onion till golden, it works equally good.
Tomato: Red, juicy tomatoes lend a beautiful colour to the gravy. I roughly chop them and blend them with onions to make a fine paste.
Ginger Garlic: Both ginger and garlic in a small portion enhance the flavour of the dish. Ginger, particularly helps to digest the meal.
Spices: Basic spices like turmeric powder, red chilly powder and coriander powder go into this curry. I also use Homemade Garam Masala which takes the curry to a different level.
How to make Bun Rajma
Firstly wash the kidney beans very well and soak them overnight or for 6-8 hours.
In the morning or after they have soaked, rinse them well. Pressure cook the kidney beans with enough water and salt.
Now make a fine paste of fried onions, tomato, ginger and garlic. Once the paste is done heat a teaspoon of oil and saute the paste. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and gram masala. Cook the spices with the masala till the oil separates.
Now mix this spice paste with the cooked beans. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. We do not want a very thick gravy.
Pressure cook for one more whistle. Open the cooker after the pressure is released.
Now take a bun, and cut it into pieces. Place in a serving bowl. Pour a ladle full of the prepared Rajma over the bun, soaking them well.
Drizzle chutney, sprinkle chaat masala, and red chilly powder. Garnish with onion slices and green chillies.
Serving Suggestions
The North Indian Rajma Curry is a healthy protein-rich dish that can be served with –
- Rice
- Bun
- Kulcha
- Paratha
- Roti
Storage Suggestions
The Rajma Curry can be easily stored both in the frig and the freezer. Store for 2-3 days in the frig and up to 2-3 months in the freezer. To make Bun Rajma, refresh the curry and add it to the bun pieces. Top with accompaniments.
Variety of Kidney Beans
In India, we have three varieties of kidney beans that are common.
Kashmiri or Jammu ka Rajma; These are small in size, oval in shape and have the characteristic ruby-coloured skin. They have a mild flavour, earthy, slightly sweet and nutty with a soft texture.
Red Kidney Beans; They are medium to large beans. The common ones are deep red, but we also see a lighter version of these. These beans are highly flavoured.
Chitra Rajma: It is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas. These are light brown in colour and have an intricate design. The name Chitra comes from its design. These brown beans are creamy and taste earthy and nutty.
Health Benefits of Kidney Beans
- Kidney beans are an excellent plant-based source of protein.
- They’re also rich in various minerals, vitamins, fibres, and antioxidants.
- Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fibre.
- Rajma helps to promote weight loss.
- The beans help to maintain blood sugar.
Some Dishes with Rajma
Bun Rajma | Jammu Street Food
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan / Kadai / Wok
Ingredients
Rajma
- 1 cup Red Kidney Beans ( Jammu Variety )soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup Fried Onions
- 4 Tomato
- A small piece Ginger
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/4 tsp Garam Masala
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 Buns / Kulcha
- Mint Chutney
- Chaat Masala
- Onion Slices
- Green Chillies
- Lemon Wedges
Instructions
- Firstly wash the kidney beans very well and soak them overnight or for 6 – 8 hours.
- In the morning or after they have soaked, rinse them well. Pressure cook the kidney beans with enough water and salt.
- Now make a fine paste of fried onions, tomato, ginger and garlic. Once the paste is done heat a teaspoon of oil and saute the paste. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder,coriander powder and gram masala. Cook the spices with the masala till oil separates.
- Now mix this spice paste to the cooked beans. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. We do not want a very thick gravy.
- Pressure cook for one more whistle. Open the cooker after the pressure is released.
- Now take a bun, cut it into pieces. Place in a serving bowl. Pour a ladle full of the prepared Rajma over the bun, soaking them well.
- Drizzle chutney, sprinkle chaat masala, red chilly powder. Garnish with onion slices and green chillies.
You are awesome at bringing all the street foods home.. I’m loving the entire series. Bun rajma is something new never heard of this.. Will try it soon !!
I never knew that this was a street food, but we kinda make at home like this or sloppy joe version. This sounds amazing and you are amazing with tons of tasty street food.