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Aromatic and flavourful, rajma ke shami kebab taste out of this world, writes Pushpesh Pant
In Punjab, rasse misse rajma are the stuff memories are made of during leisurely Sunday lunches. Beans, alternating with karhi-chawal, make a simple yet sublime meal.`A0Add a small fistful to the kali mah di daal and it truly justifies its name Rajmash — the king of black lentils. As a matter of fact, the whole world is an oyster for this pearl. In Mexico, it is relished greatly as ‘refried’ and in the USA chilli con carne makes for a ‘slurpy’ hot dog. We have long wondered why in India we always have it in gravy? Why hasn’t someone tried out a dry delicacy? Our wish was granted recently when gifted chef Miraj who practices his craft at the Raddison prepared a vegetarian galauti for our guests. Galauti as everyone knows by now is a melt-in-the-mouth patty served at Tunda kebabiya in Lucknow — aromatic and flavourful — it is usually paired with ulte tawe ka paratha and when consumed on the steps of Akbari Masjid in the city of nawabs transports one immediately to culinary cloud nine. The quest for the Holy Grail has been to discover a vegetarian equal. As far as we are concerned exert no more. Miraj Miyan has performed the miracle. His rajma galauti may not be easily replicated at home by an unskilled hand but that shouldn’t stop anyone from trying out the recipe. The kebab may not melt in the mouth — call it rajma ke shami kebab— but we promise it will still taste out of this world. RajmA ke shami kebab
Method
Heat oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry in convenient batches till a dark brown crust is formed on top. Turn once in between ensuring that the kebab doesn’t break. Serve with onion rings and wedges of lemon. Ulte tawe ka paratha can wait. These taste great with phulka or crumbled in steamed rice with a dollop of ghee.
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Who
hasn’t heard the story of Jack and the Beanstalk? For some reason we
have always believed that the beans dear Jack played around with were Rajma
— red kidney beans. It is truly a bean of many delights. In
Jammu, this is the lentil that reigns supreme. Rajbirsinghpura and
Kishtawar contest the top honours as producers of the best quality rajma.
Harsil in Garhwal, once a fiefdom of the eccentric Englishman Wilson
sahib, and Munshiyari on the Indo-Tibet border produce high-grade
stuff too and the red or very pale beans easily and every time put to
shade the spotted chitral variety.
