Kidney beans Mushroom Masala

Recently kidney beans have become one of my favourite beans. And before coming to America I didn't know there were a million colors in beans. Mexicans eat as many beans as Indians eat Lentils. And I think they both have virtually the same nutritional value.
                Anyway, I was searching for a recipe to use both the kidney beans as well as mushrooms and I found this vegan recipe and I modified it to my taste...you see I am not a vegan

Kidney Beans Mushroom Masala (Red Kidney beans and Mushrooms curry)

Kidney beans Mushroom Masala

Ingredients:

1. 1 big can of red kidney beans drained and rinsed
2. 1 10oz package of mushrooms cleaned and sliced
3. 1 medium onion chopped
4. 1 large tomato chopped
5. 1 green chilly chopped
6. 1/2 cup milk
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, chilly powder, turmeric, cumin, garam masala powder, ginger-garlic paste
8. 2 tablespoons oil

In a pan heat the oil and add the cumin and fry till they start to splutter. Add the onions and fry till they become tender. Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Add mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook till they get pulpy. Add all the powder ingredients except salt and fry for a minutes. Add the beans and save 1 tablespoon. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Mash the saved beans and add it to the pot along with milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and simmer till the gravy becomes a bit thick. Serve with roti

Roti
Kalonji Roti
Roghni Roti
Cabbage Paratha

Rajma paneer with Onion rasam

Its been a long time since I made something with chickpeas and I wanted to make it. But a thorough search of my pantry reveled that I didn't have any garbanzo beans at hand. So I started seaching for some other legumes and found the kidneys beans calling my attention.
               Then, I started seaching for some Indian recipe with kidney beans and all I could find is Rajma...kidney beans in tomato gravy (Will make it and post it some other day) and I didn't want to make it. Then I thought why I can't make Kidney beans along with Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) and let me tell you it turned out Deeelicious.
              And to go with it, I am making Onion Chaaru from the Vegetarian recipe book my mom gave me when I got married. This is so nice and spicy, I can just sip it all by itself

Rajma Paneer (Kidney beans and cottage cheese curry)

Rajma Paneer

Ingredients:

1. 1 can kidney beans (I used red kidney beans in chilli gravy)
2. 1 cup paneer rectangles 3/4 cm x 3/4 inch (Basically trying to keep the paneer the same size as the kidney beans)
3. 1 medium onion
4. 1 inch ginger piece
5. 1 medium tomato chopped
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of chilly powder, salt, cumin, coriander powder, turmeric
7. 3 tablespoons oil divided
8. 1/2 cup water

Here is How to make fresh Paneer
Grind the onions and ginger to a fine paste and set aside. Fry the paneer pieces in oil till they turn golden brown. Drain and set aside. Add the cumin to the oil and let them crackle. Add the onion paste and fry till it starts changing color. Add chopped tomatoes and cook covered for 5 minutes. Add kidney bean to it and all the other ingredients except paneer, stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes. Add paneer stir well and simmer for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with Zeera rice or white rice and onion rasam

Onion Rasam (Onions and tomato in Tamarind juice)

Onion Rasam

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons each of chopped onions, chopped tomato
2. 1 teaspoon grated jaggery or brown sugar
3. 1 big or 2 small green chillies sliced
4. 4 cups of water
5. 1 cup thick juice from a lime sized tamarind
6. 1/2 tablespoons oil
7. 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida(Hing)

Bring the water to a boil and add chopped onions and boil for a couple of minutes. Add all the rest of the ingredients and boil for 10 minutes. In a pan heat the oil and add hing to it. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Add it to the rasam and boil for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy