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.
Servings: 6
Calories: 104kcal
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.
- 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)
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.
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.
- Now add the coconut and roast for a minute over low heat and turn it off.
- Let it cool, and grind it with ½ cup of water into a smooth mix.
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.
- 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.
- Then, add the pressure-cooked dal. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
- As it starts to boil, add the ground rasavangi masala and mix well, and bring it to a gentle boil.
- 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.
- 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.
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