Recipe : Kathirikkai rasavaangi

Katharikkai rasavaangi (கத்திரிக்காய் ரசவாங்கி)

This is one of the specialities of my mother and a hot favourite in our house.

Ingredients
Eggplant  ( கத்திரிக்காய்) - ¼ kg
Toor dall ( துவரம் பருப்பு) - ½ cup
Dry karamani (காராமணி) – 2 tbsp
Tamarind - size of gooseberry / Tamarind paste (புளி விழுது) – 1 tsp
Sambar powder (சாம்பார் பொடி) – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder (மஞ்சள் பொடி)– ½ tsp
Asafoetida  (பெருங்காயம்) - ¼ tsp
Grated coconut (துருவிய தேங்காய்) - 3 tbsp
Mustard (கடுகு) - ½ tsp
Urad dall (உளுத்தம் பருப்பு) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves (கறிவேப்பில்லை) - 2 sprigs
Green chillies (பச்சை மிளகாய்) - 2
Lemon (எலுமிச்சம்பழம்) - ½
Salt (உப்பு) - to taste
Oil (எண்ணெய்) - 3 tsp

Pressure cook the karamani and toor dall in separate vessels. Cut the egg plants into 2 inch pieces and cook directly adding water, turmeric powder and salt. Once cooked, add the cooked karamani, tamarind paste, sambar powder and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cooked toor dall and boil for 3 minutes and then add the asafoetida

Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard and when mustard crackles add the urad dall. When the dall becomes golden colour, add the vertically slit green chillies, curry leaves and grated coconut. Roast for 2-3 minutes. Add this to the cooked egg plant. Squeeze the lemon and mix well. Your katharikkai rasavaangi is ready to be relished with rice or rotis.

Dry karamani can be replaced with any other dry pulse like brown / white channa etc.