North Karnataka Saaru

The household rasam of North Karnataka — toor dal water simmered with tamarind, tomato, and a ground North Karnataka saaru masala of coriander, pepper, cumin, and dried chilli, finished with a ghee tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Thinner and more peppery than sambar, sharper than Tamil rasam; drunk as a digestive at the end of a meal or mixed into rice in the middle of the thali.