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    Home » Sambhar Varieties » Brinjal Rasavangi | South Indian Brinjal Curry

    Brinjal Rasavangi | South Indian Brinjal Curry

    Posted on January 7, 2025 · Last Updated on April 30, 2025 · By Srividhya G · 36 Comments

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    brinjal rasavangi with text overlay for pinterest

    Rasavangi is a traditional South Indian curry that perfectly embodies the rich flavors of Tamil cuisine. Today, I’m sharing my brinjal rasavangi recipe with step-by-step instructions and tips for perfect results.

    overhead shot of brinjal rasavangi served in white bowl

    This authentic Tamil-Brahmin dish is typically prepared with tender brinjals (eggplant) or white pumpkin and a unique blend of lentils like chana dal (split Bengal gram) and toor dal, making it a flavorful cross between kootu and arachuvitta sambar.

    Jump to:
    • The inspiration behind my recipe
    • Ingredients required
    • How to make brinjal rasavangi
    • Dietary specifications
    • What to serve it with
    • Recipe notes
    • More eggplant recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    The inspiration behind my recipe

    This recipe is adapted from the English version of the iconic Tamil cookbook Samaithu Paar (Cook and See) by Meenakshi Ammal, which was gifted to me by my mom. Like other classics such as pitlai and arachuvitta sambar, rasavangi uses freshly roasted and ground spices for an unparalleled depth of flavor. The spice mix resembles the one used in ennai kathirikai (stuffed brinjal curry), but the addition of chana dal and toor dal makes it unique.

    Whether you want to enjoy it as a vegan South Indian curry with rice or serve it as a gluten-free side dish with coconut rice, this versatile curry adapts beautifully to your meal preferences.

    kathirikai rasavangi with spoon inside

    Ingredients required

    • Brinjal – I have used Italian eggplant chopped into cubes. You can use traditional tender brinjals and long Chinese or green varieties. I haven’t tried with green tender ones.
    • Chana dal: Along with brinjal, we need chana dal (split Bengal gram) for the traditional recipe. These two ingredients (brinjal and chana dal) are the key, and that is what defines rasavangi.
    • Toor dal: Like any other sambar, we also need toor dal for this recipe. You can pressure cook the toor dal in your preferred way, either in a stove-top or electric pressure cooker. If you have cooked and frozen toor dal, you can use ½ cup of thawed dal.
    • Tamarind paste: You can use tamarind paste (store-bought or homemade) or tamarind pulp. You can soak it in water and extract the juice.
    • For the rasavangi spice powder: We need coriander seeds, chana dal, dried red chilies, coconut, and curry leaves. I roast curry leaves and grind them along with the spice mix. Usually, we discard the curry leaves that we add during tempering, so I prefer to add them along with the spice powder.
    • For tempering: We need oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, and dried red chilies.

    Apart from these ingredients, we need salt, water, asafoetida, cilantro for some garnishing, and turmeric powder. Please check the recipe card for exact measurements.

    How to make brinjal rasavangi

    Chop the brinjals and soak the chana dal.

    • Chop the brinjals into small pieces and let them soak in water while you do the other prep work. Soaking in water prevents the brinjals from turning black.
    soaking the chopped brinjal
    • Soak the channa dal for at least one hr. (If I am preparing this for dinner, I usually soak it in the morning before heading out for work)
    soaking the chana dal

    Pressure cook the toor dal.

    • Pressure cook the toor dal by adding one cup of water, ¼ tsp oil, and ½ tsp turmeric and mash it well. If you are using a stove-top pressure cooker, pressure cook for 4 to 5 hisses/whistles and release the pressure naturally. If using an Instant Pot for pot-in-pot cooking, you can cook for 15 minutes and release the pressure naturally. If using frozen dal, thaw it to room temperature.
    pressure cooking toor dal

    Prepare the rasavangi masala.

    • Heat a pan and roast coriander seeds, chana dal, curry leaves, and dry red chilies without any oil until the chana dal turns light brown.
    roasting the spices
    • Now add the coconut and roast for a minute over low heat and turn it off.
    adding coconut
    • Let it cool, and grind it with ½ cup of water into a smooth mix.
    ground masala

    Make the rasavangi.

    • I have used my Dutch oven to make this rasavangi. You can use any vessel with a heavy bottom. Drain the water from the chopped brinjals and chana dal and add it to the Dutch oven.
    adding brinjal and chana dal to the dutch oven
    • Mix 2 tsps of tamarind paste with 1 cup of water and add it to the brinjal. Add salt and a few curry leaves, too. Now, over medium heat, cook until the brinjals are soft but not mushy.
    adding tamarind water, curry leaves and salt
    • Then, add the pressure-cooked dal. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
    adding the cooked dal
    • As it starts to boil, add the ground rasavangi masala and mix well, and bring it to a gentle boil.
    adding the ground masala
    • Check for salt and adjust if needed. Finally, add the jaggery and cilantro and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. I prepared this rasavangi in a thicker consistency. If you want a thin consistency, add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
    adding jaggery and cilantro
    • Then in a separate pan or tadka vessel, add 2 tsps of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, and red chili, which are broken into two.
    • As the mustard seeds start to splutter, add them to the rasavangi.
    adding the tempering

    That’s it. Rasavangi is ready for the table. Serve hot with rice.

    Dietary specifications

    This vegan rasavangi recipe is naturally nut-free and can easily be made gluten-free by using a certified gluten-free asafoetida or skipping it altogether. You can refrigerate the leftovers or make them as a part of your weekend batch prep and store them for up to 4 days.

    close up shot of south indian brinjal curry with partial view

    What to serve it with

    Here are a few ways how we enjoy rasavangi-

    • Serve it hot with rice or grain of your choice with a dollop of ghee, and enjoy it with a side of raita and papad.
    • Instead of raita, you can also serve it with mild dry curries/poriyal like beans poriyal or carrot thuvattal.
    • You can serve rasavangi as a side dish for coconut rice or lemon rice.

    The possibilities are endless, for sure. Isn’t the beauty of Indian cuisine?

    Recipe notes

    • Adjust the salt and spice according to your consistency.
    • Also, while grinding the masala, you can add water. If you are preparing the masala well ahead and want to refrigerate, then skip water.
    • Use white pumpkin/ashgourd instead of brinjal.
    slanting shot of rasavangi placed on wooden trivet with spoon on the side

    More eggplant recipes

    • top angle square image of indian eggplant curry placed served in a black bowl
      Baingan Bharta | Indian Roasted Eggplant Curry | No Onion No Garlic Baingan Bharta
    • bagara baingan served in white bowl with curry and rice on the side
      Bagara Baingan | Hyderabadi-Special Eggplant Curry
    • broiled eggplant raita served in a bowl topped with fresh tempering
      Broiled Eggplant Raita | Sutta Kathirikai Thayir Pachadi | Baingan Raita
    • baba ganoj served with pita bread
      Baba Ganoush Recipe

    PS: Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates. If you try this brinjal rasavangi recipe, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it asap.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas!

    📖 Recipe

    square image of rasavangi served in white ceramic bowl
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    5 from 1 vote

    Authentic South Indian Rasavangi Recipe

    Discover the flavors of Tamil cuisine with my authentic brinjal rasavangi recipe. Try this flavorful South Indian curry made with tender brinjals and a unique blend of lentils.
    Prep Time45 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course, rice accompaniment
    Cuisine: South Indian, TamilNadu
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 104kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1tbsp = 15ml; 1tsp = 5ml;

    For the curry:

    • 300 grams eggplant Italian or traditional brinjals, chopped
    • ¼ cup chana dal split Bengal gram
    • ¼ cup toor dal
    • 2 tsp tamarind paste heaped tsp. Or one gooseberry-sized tamarind pulp
    • 4 cups water
    • ½ tsp turmeric powder
    • 2 tsp salt adjust to taste
    • 5-6 curry leaves
    • 1 tsp jaggery optional
    • 1 tsp cilantro for garnishing

    For the rasavangi spice powder:

    • 2 tsp coriander seeds
    • 1.5 tsp chana dal
    • 4 dried red chilies
    • 5-6 curry leaves
    • ¼ cup coconut grated

    For tempering:

    • 2 tsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 1 dried red chili broken
    • ¼ tsp asafoetida

    Instructions

    Chop the brinjals and soak the chana dal.

    • Chop the brinjals into small pieces and let them soak in water while you do the other prep work. Soaking in water prevents the brinjals from turning black.
      soaking the chopped brinjal
    • Soak the channa dal for at least one hr. (If I am preparing this for dinner, I usually soak it in the morning before heading out for work)
      soaking the chana dal

    Pressure cook the toor dal.

    • Pressure cook the toor dal by adding one cup of water, ¼ tsp oil, and ½ tsp turmeric and mash it well. If you are using a stove-top pressure cooker, pressure cook for 4 to 5 hisses/whistles and release the pressure naturally. If using an Instant Pot for pot-in-pot cooking, you can cook for 15 minutes and release the pressure naturally. If using frozen dal, thaw it to room temperature.
      pressure cooking toor dal

    Prepare the rasavangi masala.

    • Heat a pan and roast coriander seeds, chana dal, curry leaves, and dry red chilies without any oil until the chana dal turns light brown.
      roasting the spices
    • Now add the coconut and roast for a minute over low heat and turn it off.
      adding coconut
    • Let it cool, and grind it with ½ cup of water into a smooth mix.
      ground masala

    Make the rasavangi.

    • I have used my Dutch oven to make this rasavangi. You can use any vessel with a heavy bottom. Drain the water from the chopped brinjals and chana dal and add it to the Dutch oven.
      adding brinjal and chana dal to the dutch oven
    • Mix 2 tsps of tamarind paste with 1 cup of water and add it to the brinjal. Add salt and a few curry leaves, too. Now, over medium heat, cook until the brinjals are soft but not mushy.
      adding tamarind water, curry leaves and salt
    • Then, add the pressure-cooked dal. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
      adding the cooked dal
    • As it starts to boil, add the ground rasavangi masala and mix well, and bring it to a gentle boil.
      adding the ground masala
    • Check for salt and adjust if needed. Finally, add the jaggery and cilantro and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. I prepared this rasavangi in a thicker consistency. If you want a thin consistency, add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
      adding jaggery and cilantro
    • Then in a separate pan or tadka vessel, add 2 tsps of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, and red chili, which are broken into two. As the mustard seeds start to splutter, add them to the rasavangi. That's it. Rasavangi is ready for the table. Serve hot with rice.
      adding the tempering

    Notes

    • Adjust the salt and spice according to your consistency.
    • Also, while grinding the masala, you can add water. If you are preparing the masala well ahead and want to refrigerate, then skip water.
    • Use white pumpkin/ashgourd instead of brinjal.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 789mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
    For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel

     Update Notes: Earlier posted in 2016, now updated the post with new pictures, recipe card with nutritional information.

    17 shares
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    Filed Under: Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine, Sambhar Varieties, Vegetables Tagged With: A-Z Challenge, araichuvitta kootu, authentic recipes, Blogging Marathon, brinjal rasavangi, how to prepare katharikai rasavangi, katharikai kadalai paruppu rasavangi, katharikai rasavangi, kootu kari, traditional recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anusha says

      January 09, 2025 at 2:10 am

      5 stars
      One of those really authentic Rasavangi recipes out here.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        January 10, 2025 at 7:20 am

        Thank you :-)

        Reply
    2. Alboni says

      September 12, 2016 at 6:30 am

      Wanted to try this recipe for a long time now, surely will fix it !!! Nice display !!!

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        September 12, 2016 at 10:46 am

        Thanks Alboni.

        Reply
    3. Smruti | Herbivore Cucina says

      April 27, 2016 at 5:33 pm

      A kootu recipe with brinjals sounds amazing. It is fun learning new Tamil dishes from your blog. Loving this marathon!!

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 27, 2016 at 7:35 pm

        Glad you like them.. Me too loving this marathon. Learning a lot. :-) thanks Smruti.

        Reply
    4. Pavani says

      April 25, 2016 at 7:19 pm

      Rasavangy is probably one of my most favorite Tamil Nadu dishes. It tastes so flavorful and delicious.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 25, 2016 at 9:44 pm

        Yeah true. Thanks Pavani.

        Reply
    5. Resin Kitchen (juliettejustine) says

      April 25, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      cool

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 25, 2016 at 9:34 pm

        Thanks and welcome here.

        Reply
    6. harini says

      April 24, 2016 at 4:52 pm

      Eggplant lovers paradise, I am sure!

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 24, 2016 at 9:02 pm

        Thanks haring. :-)

        Reply
    7. Amara says

      April 23, 2016 at 4:23 am

      Love the rasavangi but never cooked myself. Thanks for the yummy share with a perfect recipe. Bookmarked

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 24, 2016 at 10:43 pm

        Thanks Amara. :-) Let me know when you try it.

        Reply
    8. Gayathri Kumar says

      April 22, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      I love brinjal in any avatar. This rasavaangi sounds awesome..

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 24, 2016 at 10:46 pm

        Me too. Thanks a lot.

        Reply
    9. Priya Suresh says

      April 22, 2016 at 2:15 am

      Super like, wish i get this kootu for my lunch rite now, delicious.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 22, 2016 at 7:54 am

        Ha ha I wish I could send you some. :-) Thanks

        Reply
    10. Srivalli says

      April 22, 2016 at 1:25 am

      I love rasavangi and though the masala sounds familiar I am yet to make it myself…and glad you have got a good magic folder now!

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 22, 2016 at 7:47 am

        Thanks Srivalli and yeah very true. :-)

        Reply
    11. Freda @ Aromatic essence says

      April 21, 2016 at 2:28 pm

      Looks delicious :)

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 6:45 pm

        Thanks Freda. :-)

        Reply
    12. usha says

      April 21, 2016 at 10:06 am

      I heard a lot about rasavangi from a virtual friend. Whenever someone asks for Brinjal recipe, lists this on the top of the list. Lucky you , you have enough for next months BM as well!! I have about 4-5 extra recipes in my drafts from this BM and thinking of doing a 3 posts for one of the letters and to clear off my drafts folder.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 6:47 pm

        Yeah true. This brinjal recipe and brinjal gothsu is quiet famous. Actually I am taking part in next month’s BM. So will randomly post and should clear the drafts. I have couple of Non-Tamil Nadu recipe sitting for a long time too. For june need to start fresh. :-)

        Reply
    13. vaishali says

      April 21, 2016 at 10:03 am

      Brinjals in any form are delicious, wish I could eat them…they were my favorite before I developed allergy towards them. Awesome recipe with Daal.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 6:51 pm

        Oh no.. My dad had same problem. Hope it goes away. Thanks Vaishali.

        Reply
    14. Bharani says

      April 21, 2016 at 9:35 am

      Kootu with brinjal nice……Husband loves brinjal so this will be added to my brinjal recipe’s for him….

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 6:59 pm

        :-) :-) I served this with rice and appalam and it was great. Complete meal. Please do try and let me know.

        Reply
    15. Ami@NaiveCookCooks says

      April 21, 2016 at 9:24 am

      Vidhya this brinjal dishlooks so delicious! I always enjoy seeing different way of cooking a certain thing in different parts of our country :)

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm

        Hi Ami, welcome to my space and thanks a lot. And Yeah very true about cooking certain things in a different way. Same ingredients when added in different order or cooked in differed way yields a complete new recipe..

        Reply
    16. Deepa - Veg Indian Cooking says

      April 21, 2016 at 9:03 am

      Wow Super yummy and healthy recipe of brinjal….Looks good and love the addition of tuvar dal, chana dal and spices you’ve used…
      Bookmarking, will surely get it a try very soon. Excellent share

      Ps : Refer this link is this your google account?
      https://plus.google.com/107274907278645548620

      If yes then pls update your web address so it will become easy to follow you in gplus….
      And if not I’m sorry friend…

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 6:56 pm

        Thanks a lot for that wonderful comment. That’s one of my google + profile. For blog I use this profile https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SrividhyaManikandan and here is g+ page https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/100279705842728754348/+Vidhyashomecookingforall/posts Will send you both in the email. Thanks a lot. :-)

        Reply
    17. Suma Gandlur says

      April 21, 2016 at 8:37 am

      This would be a great treat for eggplant lovers. Somehow I always think it as fusion of flavors.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 7:02 pm

        :-) True. Thanks a lot Suma.

        Reply
    18. CHCooks says

      April 21, 2016 at 8:21 am

      The name itself is gorgeous la :) I should try this recipe sometime.. as you said, a sister of aracha sambar :D btw, love your serveware in second pic!

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 21, 2016 at 7:03 pm

        Yeah me too liked the name. Thanks a lot GB.. That’s not a serve ware at all.. It was a spoon rester. I couldn’t believe it all. I got it n using it as a serve ware.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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