The next day, discard the soaked water, then rinse the rajma beans again very well in running water. Drain the water again.

Add the rajma to a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. You can also add salt if you want.

Pressure cook rajma for 15 to 20 whistles or for 12 to 17 minutes. First, I cooked the beans for 15 whistles and found that they were still uncooked from the center. So I pressure cooked for 5 whistles more.

When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only remove the lid. Strain the rajma. Keep aside.

After 20 to 30 minutes strain the rice of all the water and keep aside.

In a mortar-pestle take 1 inch ginger (roughly chopped), 6 to 7 garlic cloves (roughly chopped) and 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped.

Crush to a coarse paste. You can also use a small grinder to make this paste. Keep aside.

Just rinse the same stovetop pressure cooker in which the rajma beans were cooked, with water and then keep it again on the stovetop.

Let the spices crackle on low heat.

Now add ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions.

On a low to medium heat, begin sauteing the onions stirring them often.

Saute the onions till they start to become golden.

Now add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chilli paste along with ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.

Stir and saute on low heat till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away. This takes a few seconds.

Add the cooked rajma beans.

Next add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. Stir and mix well.

Add the soaked rice.

Season with salt as required.

Gently stir and mix the rice and salt with the rest of the ingredients.

Now add 2 cups of water. You can add 1.75 cups to 2 cups of water. Do add water depending on the quality of basmati rice. Stir and mix very well. Check the taste of the water and it should taste a bit salty.

Lastly add ½ teaspoon lemon juice and stir again.

Cover and pressure cook pulao on a medium to high heat for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes. When the pressure comes down on its own, then only open the lid and gently fluff the pulao.

Serve rajma pulao hot garnished with some chopped coriander leaves with your favorite raita or salad or mango pickle. I served it with capsicum raita.

Now, the famous Rajma Chawal (Rice) is finally ready to eat.✨