Local Pahadi Rajma

A hundred kilometres past Upper Shimla the forest gives up — bare rock, thin air, and a short list of things stubborn enough to grow anyway. Rajma is one of them.

These families have grown it for generations, selling whatever was left over at the local mandi for whatever price was going. We buy directly, at a price agreed with them.

• 9,000–12,000 ft, Kinnaur valley
• Hand-harvested, roof-dried — nothing mechanical, nothing chemical
• Sealed only once you order — batch details above

Soak overnight. This one needs longer than supermarket rajma — don't skip it.

Pressure cook 5–6 whistles with a pinch of salt, or simmer 45 minutes until soft.

Finish with ghee, cumin and tomato for rajma-chawal — or serve whole in a dham thali.

In the hills this is winter food. It goes into the kothar in autumn and gets cooked through the coldest months, when little else is growing and a heavy, slow-cooked meal is what the day needs.

Rajma is a pulse, so like all pulses it's naturally a good source of plant protein and dietary fibre. Eaten with rice, it makes a complete protein — which is why rajma-chawal became a staple across north India long before anyone was reading labels.

These are general facts about this food, not tested claims about this specific batch. We'd rather tell you what we know than invent numbers.