Leftover Rajma Chawal Burrito Bowl
There’s something oddly comforting about leftovers.
They’re familiar, low-effort, and already halfway to becoming dinner.
But on some weeknights, we like to push them a little further.
This bowl started with exactly that — leftover rajma chawal sitting in the fridge. Instead of reheating it and calling it a day, we decided to turn it into something new: a Desi Burrito Bowl that borrows textures and ideas from a burrito, but stays rooted in flavours we already love.
Creamy, refried-style rajma.
Spiced tofu bhurji.
Cold, thick dahi.
Crunchy vegetables and nachos for contrast.
Simple ingredients. Big payoff.
A Special Shout-Out ✨
This episode of our Weeknight Meals series was shot with Sigh Films — a Bombay-based production house run by two amazing women who came down to shoot with us and brought their own style into our kitchen.
We’ve always imagined Weeknight Meals as a space where different creatives can interpret the same idea in their own way, and Sigh Films leaned right into that. For this shoot, we used a mix of a regular camera and a vintage handycam for B-roll, which added so much texture and character to the visuals.
It was honestly innovative, playful, and a lot of fun to work with them.
So excited to have them be part of this series — and I genuinely can’t wait to show you the next video.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the refried rajma base
1 cup leftover rajma
1 tbsp tomato paste (or thick tomato purée)
1 tsp oil
A pinch of cumin powder
A pinch of red chilli powder
Splash of water, if needed
For the tofu bhurji
200 g firm tofu, crumbled
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp kalonji (nigella seeds)
½ tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste
For the bowl
½ cup leftover rice
Thick dahi (curd)
Julienned carrot
Julienned cucumber
Nachos or tortilla chips
Fresh coriander and lime
Method
1. Make the refried rajma
Heat oil in a pan and add the leftover rajma along with tomato paste.
Season with cumin and chilli powder.
Mash it down with the back of a spoon until thick, creamy, and spreadable — almost like refried beans. Add a splash of water if it feels too dense.
2. Cook the tofu bhurji
Heat oil in another pan. Add kalonji and jeera and let them splutter.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté till fragrant.
Add red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt.
Crumble in the tofu and cook for 4–5 minutes until it absorbs the masala and develops a slight crisp on the edges.
3. Assemble the bowl
Start with a layer of rice.
Add a generous spoon of refried rajma.
Top with tofu bhurji.
Finish with thick dahi, carrot, cucumber, crushed nachos, coriander, and a squeeze of lime.
Eat it warm, while the dahi is cold and the nachos still crunch.
