North Karnataka Saaru
Veg
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.
Cuisines
Udupi
North Karnataka
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | toor dal |
| 3 cups | water |
| 1 medium | tomato |
| 1 small | onion |
| 1 tsp | tamarind paste |
| 1 tsp | jaggery |
| 1 tsp | mustard seeds |
| 1 tsp | cumin seeds |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 1 tsp | turmeric powder |
| 2 tsp | red chili powder |
| 2 tbsp | freshly grated coconut |
| 2 tbsp | coriander leaves |
| 2 tbsp | oil |
| — | salt to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the toor dal thoroughly and pressure cook it with 3 cups of water until soft.
- 2 Chop the tomato and onion finely.
- 3 In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
- 4 Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- 5 Add the chopped tomato and cook until it becomes soft.
- 6 Mix in the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
- 7 Add the cooked toor dal to the pan and mix well.
- 8 Stir in the tamarind paste and jaggery, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- 9 Add freshly grated coconut and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- 10 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
For a richer flavor, add a teaspoon of ghee before serving.