Rajma (Punjabi Red Kidney Bean Curry)

Steps

1. The day before, pick over and rinse the dried kidney beans, put them in a large bowl and cover with 1 l (about 4 cups) of cold water. Soak for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature: they double in size and their skins turn taut.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the beans, then put them in a pressure cooker with 1.5 l (about 6 cups) of fresh water. Bring to a boil uncovered and boil hard for 10 minutes, skimming the foam. This step matters: red kidney beans contain a lectin that causes serious stomach upset, and only a true boil at 212°F (100°C) destroys it; a gentle simmer is not enough.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, lock the lid and cook for 25 minutes once the cooker reaches pressure, then let the pressure release naturally. In a regular pot, cover and simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, topping up with hot water as needed. The beans are ready when they crush easily between two fingers and the centers are creamy. Save all the cooking liquid.
4. While the beans cook, rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear and soak it for 20 minutes in cold water. Finely chop the onions, grate the ginger and garlic together into a fine paste, split the green chile in half, and blend the ripe tomatoes into a puree.
5. In a wide Dutch oven, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, until they darken and smell toasty. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown without blackening: this is where the flavor of rajma is built.
6. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the green chile and stir for 1 minute, until the raw smell is gone. Turn down the heat, add the ground coriander, turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder with 2 tablespoons of water so they don't scorch, and stir for 30 seconds.
7. Pour in the tomato puree and 1 teaspoon of salt, raise the heat to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the masala thickens into a glossy paste and oil beads at the edges.
8. Add the drained beans and 500 ml (2 cups) of their cooking liquid, topped up with water if you're short. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Scoop out a ladle of beans, mash them with a fork and stir them back in: the sauce thickens and turns velvety.
9. While the rajma simmers, drain the rice and put it in a saucepan with 450 ml (about 2 cups) of water and the rest of the salt, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes over the gentlest heat. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing.
10. To finish, crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms over the pot, add the garam masala and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt. Scatter with chopped fresh cilantro and serve piping hot with the basmati rice.