Authentic South Indian Rasavangi Recipe

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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square image of rasavangi served in white ceramic bowl

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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

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Course: Main Course, rice accompaniment

Cuisine: South Indian, TamilNadu

Servings: 6

Calories: 104kcal

Ingredients

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

For the rasavangi spice powder: