Rasavangi is one of the traditional and authentic kootu recipes prepared with tender brinjals and channa dal. Like pitlai we add other legumes also but for this recipe I went only with channa dal. The masala reminds me of the ennai katharikai masala and this curry/kootu is like a gravy version of the same.
Tamil Nadu recipe starting with R should be fairly easy but I complicated it by myself. I tried one recipe starting with R and when I started to write about it I realized it falls under other cuisine too. I have mentioned it before in my blog. I am Kannadiga born and bought up in TN. Our cooking is a mix of these two and of course I blend these two a lot. I thought of going ahead with the same but then changed my mind. I scheduled it for next month and tried another easy recipe starting with R. But I felt I should call it with the Tamil Name and had to let that go also. (In this BM process, I ended up cooking a lot that I have sufficient recipes to post for the month of May also)
So again I revisited my BM list and decided to post this rasavangi. I had kept this rasavangi for Cooking from cookbook challenge as I follow the recipe from “Meenakshi Ammals’s Cook and See Part 1” book. But I think it perfectly fits here :-) So here I am presenting yet another sibling of Arichu Vitta Sambar and Tiruvadirai Sambar.
Ingredients:
- Brinjals – around 10 tender ones
- Channa Dal – ¼ cup
- Toor Dal – ¼ cup
- Tamarind Paste – 1 tbsp
- Water – For soaking and cooking dal + 1 cup for tamarind extract
- Salt – 2 tsps
- Hing – ½ tsp
- Curry Leaves – 1 strand
- Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp + ¼ tsp
- Oil
For grinding:
- Coriander Seeds – 2 tsps
- Channa Dal – 1.5 tsps
- Red Chillies – 4
- Grated Coconut – ¼ cup
For Tempering:
- Oil – 2 tsps
- Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
- Urad Dal – 1 tsp
- Red Chillies – 2
Prep Work:
- Chop the brinjals lengthwise and let it soak in water while you do the other prep work. Soaking in water prevents the brinjals from turning black.
- Pressure cook the toor dal by adding water and turmeric and mash it well.
- Dry roast all the ingredients given under “For grinding” without adding any oil.
- Let it cool and grind it without adding any water. This is the rasavangi powder.
- Soak the channa dal for at least 1 hr. (If I am preparing this for dinner, I usually soak it in the morning before heading out for work)
Steps:
- Heat the kadai and add 1 tsp of oil.
- Mean while drain the water from the brinjals and once the oil hot add it to the pan or kadai and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Now add the soaked channa dal and salt.
- Add the tamarind extract and cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the brinjals and the dal are tender. Do not over as brinjals might turn mushy.
- Then add the pressure cooked dal and curry leaves. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
- As it starts to boil, add the rasavangi powder that we prepared earlier and hing. Mix well.
- Check for salt and bring it to a boil. I prepared this rasavangi in a thicker consistency. If you want thin consistency, add 1 cup of water and bring it to boil.
- Then in a separate pan or tadka vessel, add 2 tsps of oil. Once oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies.
- As they start to splutter, add it to the rasavangi.
Garnish it with more curry leaves. That’s it Rasavangi is ready for the table. Serve hot with rice. This can be served as a side and also as rice accompaniment.
Notes:
- Adjust the salt and spice according to your consistency.
- Channa dal is optional. You can skip or include channa dal and any other legumes or only legumes.
- Add more water for thin consistency.
- Also while grinding the masala, you can add water. If you preparing the masala well ahead and want to refrigerate then skip water.
📖 Recipe
Rasavangi | Brinjal Rasavangi/Kootu
Ingredients
- Brinjals - around 10 tender ones
- Channa Dal - ¼ cup
- Toor Dal - ¼ cup
- Tamarind Paste - 1 tbsp
- Water - For soaking and cooking dal + 1 cup for tamarind extract
- Salt - 2 tsps
- Hing - ½ tsp
- Curry Leaves - 1 strand
- Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp + ¼ tsp
- Oil - 1 tsp
For grinding
- Coriander Seeds - 2 tsps
- Channa Dal - 1.5 tsps
- Red Chillies - 4
- Grated Coconut - ¼ cup
For Tempering
- Oil - 2 tsps
- Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
- Urad Dal - 1 tsp
- Red Chillies - 2
Instructions
Prep Work
- Chop the brinjals lengthwise and let it soak in water while you do the other prep work. Soaking in water prevents the brinjals from turning black.
- Pressure cook the toor dal by adding water and turmeric and mash it well.
- Dry roast all the ingredients given under “For grinding” without adding any oil.
- Let it cool and grind it without adding any water. This is the rasavangi powder.
- Soak the channa dal for at least 1 hr. (If I am preparing this for dinner, I usually soak it in the morning before heading out for work)
Steps
- Heat the kadai and add 1 tsp of oil.
- Mean while drain the water from the brinjals and once the oil hot add it to the pan or kadai and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Now add the soaked channa dal and salt.
- Add the tamarind extract and cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the brinjals and the dal are tender. Do not over as brinjals might turn mushy.
- Then add the pressure cooked dal and curry leaves. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
- As it starts to boil, add the rasavangi powder that we prepared earlier and hing. Mix well.
- Check for salt and bring it to a boil. I prepared this rasavangi in a thicker consistency. If you want thin consistency, add 1 cup of water and bring it to boil.
- Then in a separate pan or tadka vessel, add 2 tsps of oil. Once oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies.
- As they start to splutter, add it to the rasavangi.
- Garnish it with more curry leaves. That’s it Rasavangi is ready for the table. Serve hot with rice. This can be served as a side and also as rice accompaniment.
Notes
Channa dal is optional. You can skip or include channa dal and any other legumes or only legumes.
Add more water for thin consistency.
Also while grinding the masala, you can add water. If you preparing the masala well ahead and want to refrigerate then skip water. Adapted from From Meenakshi Ammal’s Cook and See
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.
Wanted to try this recipe for a long time now, surely will fix it !!! Nice display !!!
Thanks Alboni.
A kootu recipe with brinjals sounds amazing. It is fun learning new Tamil dishes from your blog. Loving this marathon!!
Glad you like them.. Me too loving this marathon. Learning a lot. :-) thanks Smruti.
Rasavangy is probably one of my most favorite Tamil Nadu dishes. It tastes so flavorful and delicious.
Yeah true. Thanks Pavani.
cool
Thanks and welcome here.
Eggplant lovers paradise, I am sure!
Thanks haring. :-)
Love the rasavangi but never cooked myself. Thanks for the yummy share with a perfect recipe. Bookmarked
Thanks Amara. :-) Let me know when you try it.
I love brinjal in any avatar. This rasavaangi sounds awesome..
Me too. Thanks a lot.
Super like, wish i get this kootu for my lunch rite now, delicious.
Ha ha I wish I could send you some. :-) Thanks
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!
Thanks Srivalli and yeah very true. :-)
Looks delicious :)
Thanks Freda. :-)
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.
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. :-)
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.
Oh no.. My dad had same problem. Hope it goes away. Thanks Vaishali.
Kootu with brinjal nice……Husband loves brinjal so this will be added to my brinjal recipe’s for him….
:-) :-) I served this with rice and appalam and it was great. Complete meal. Please do try and let me know.
Vidhya this brinjal dishlooks so delicious! I always enjoy seeing different way of cooking a certain thing in different parts of our country :)
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..
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…
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. :-)
This would be a great treat for eggplant lovers. Somehow I always think it as fusion of flavors.
:-) True. Thanks a lot Suma.
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!
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.