Paruppu Usili is a Traditional and Popular South Indian Recipe where a vegetable is combined with a mildly spiced lentil mixture. Here I am sharing my way of making this traditional Paruppu Usili using Beans and a freshly ground powder for an additional flavour and taste.
Any wedding, festival or special occasion is incomplete without paruppu usili. Mor Kuzhambu and Paruppu Usili is a popular combination and my favourite one too. I have also seen people combine the paruppu usili with steamed rice with a dollop of ghee on top. Though I have never eaten it this way, I have heard it tastes really good!
I have grown up eating this classic combination of paruppu usili and mor kuzhambu that my monthly meal plan can never end without this combination featuring at least once. Though the recipe looks lengthy, it is actually an easy one.
How to cook Beans Paruppu Usili
This is an easy, no onion, no garlic recipe. For this Beans Paruppu Usili, we first steam cook the french beans. We soak toor dal and chana dal together for an hour and make a coarse mixture out of it along with red chillies, salt and turmeric powder. This coarse mixture is steam cooked and once cooled, crumbled well. Then we combine both the french beans and lentil mixture and give them a nice fry.
When roasted well and served, this paruppu usili tastes heavenly. So, do spend a few minutes roasting the lentils mixture well.
What vegetables can be used in this recipe
While french beans are a very popular option, cluster beans, banana flower, cabbage, broad beans, capsicum, asparagus, spinach etc can also be used. I have once made it with Turkey Berry ( Sundakkai ) and loved it too.
Serving Suggestions
Since paruppu usili already has enough dal content in it, it is usually not served with sambar. Paruppu Usili tastes best with Mor Kuzhambu and Vatha Kuzhambu. It also pairs well with some simple rasam. Try it with this One Pot Rasam Rice or Pineapple Rasam. Tastes really good. You can also serve it along with some Kootu mixed with rice.
Variations of Paruppu Usili
I usually make Paruppu usili with toor dal and chana dal. The proportion of toor dal is more and few tablespoons of chana dal are used. You can make this recipe with equal portions of both dals or only with toor dal or chana dal. The taste and texture would vary a little based on what dal you use. The cooking method remains the same. Nevertheless, I can assure you that if cooked well, any variation of paruppu usili would taste delicious.
The addition of freshly ground spice powder to this regular paruppu usili, is my way of making this dish. Though it’s not the traditional method, I love the extra taste and flavour it brings in.
Important Tips
Make sure the lentil crumble is coarse. The mixture shouldn’t be ground smooth. Soak the dal well and do not add any water while grinding. It is perfectly fine to have a few dal pieces here and there. Tastes really good.
Paruppu Usili tastes best when cooked in sesame oil or coconut oil.
Make sure the quantity of vegetables is not too much. You should be able to taste both the dal mixture and the vegetable in every bite.
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Beans Paruppu Usili
Ingredients
- 250 gms Beans
- 1/2 cup Toor Dal
- 2 tbsp Chana Dal
- 4 Red Chillies
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- Curry Leaves few
- Salt to taste
- Asafoetida a pinch
Spice Powder
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp Chana Dal
- 2 Red Chillies
Instructions
- Wash and soak both the dals for an hour.
- Drain the water and grind dal along with salt, asafortida, turmeric powder and red chillies. Make sure the mixture is a bit coarse. Don't add water while grinding.
- Grease an idli mould or a steamer basket and place the lentil mixture on it. Steam cook for 10 minutes.
- Once done, remove and let it cool. Once cooled down, crumble the mixture using your hands.
- Meanwhile chop the beans finely and cook them by adding a pinch of salt. I cooked them in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles.
- While beans is cooking, dry roast the ingredients for spice powder till they turn golden brown and a nice aroma comes. Make a fine powder and keep it aside.
- In a kadai, add oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves.
- Add the lentil mixture and saute for 5 minutes on medium flame.
- Add the cooked beans and saute for another 2-3 minutes.Taste and check for salt. Add if needed.
- Finally, add the freshly ground powder and saute for a few minutes till the pauppu usili turns crispy.
- Serve hot.
