The main ingredients are french beans and toor dal but the recipe is flexible enough to accommodate slight changes. Sometimes I use cluster beans instead of french beans and it works just as well. I have even heard some make cabbage usili but haven't tried this out myself. There are also different and healthier options to cook the dal as opposed to the traditional method of drenching it in oil and telling yourself its healthy cuz it has lentils (which translates to lots of proteins, especially for vegetarians).
Paruppu Usili Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
French beans - 1 cup, cut into 1" pieces and boiled
Toor dal (tuvaram parippu) - ¾ cup
Channa dal (kadala parippu) - 2 tbsp
Dried red chillies - 3 to 4
Hing/asafoetida (kayam) - ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Oil - 1 tablespoon (depends on the method you use to cook the dal)
Salt - to taste
How I Made It:
1. Wash and soak the toor dal and channa dal (you can put them together) for about 1.5 hours.
2. Once soft, grind this coarsely with red chillies, turmeric, some salt and hing and as little water as possible.
3. The next step is to cook this dal mixture with the beans and we are done. Its really that simple. There are different ways to cook the dal.
(a) Microwave it till almost done, stirring every one minute. It will take about 4 minutes for it to be almost cooked.
(b) Pat the dal mixture with your hand until you have one thick round roti-like disc and then steam it for 3-4 minutes. This won't work if you added too much water while grinding. Not to worry, either follow step (a) or
(c) Pour copious amounts of oil (you need atleast 3-4 tbsp) into a pan and stir-fry the dal mixture. This will take anywhere between 7-10 minutes and is allegedly the tastiest of them all.
I have tried all three methods and found that the steaming method makes the softest and healthiest usili. The microwave version tends to make it a bit dry but its really not that bad at all. The oil-heavy one is the best of course. It has to be, otherwise it defies the rules of healthy cooking and eating.
4. If you already started out in a pan, then just add beans when the dal is almost done and cook for another 4-5 minutes without adding more oil. If you microwaved or steamed the dal, then heat a pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and dump in the dal and beans and stir-blend for about 5 minutes.
Rachel
where's your link for truly madly deeply..It's been there on the right side????
viji
Cabbage,Chayote,Carrot,Cluster Beans,Sruti Papadi,Fenugreek Leaves (fresh/frozen) will all also go well with this.For a totally crisp variety you could use channa dal completely.If you want to steam and the mix is a bit watery try putting it in the idli plates .cool and then break it fine.
Sangeeth
drooling....gonna try it out this weekend!
Mandira
you can't get any more authentic than that... 😉 looks delicious!
Divya
Very nice... yeah it has been a regular in my childhood days as well. Making the usli in the microwave is so much easier which I came across only recently. Great pic.
Happy cook
Ok will send you something next week as i am planning to make something from my childhood which mom made
Laavanya
My mom always makes it like this with cluster beans.. i use green beans however. Perfect with vatha kuzhambu / morkuzhambu.
Happy cook
Even I never knew about this dish.
It is indeed new for me.
Nags can I also join up in your event, even though we are not in India or Emirates.
No need for the prize but still can send in a post
Priti
Looks perfect and yummy..I always like the dal in this.
sra
Had a good laugh reading your post. I know so many people, including me, who indulge themselves telling themselves it's good for them since it contains this and this.
I quite like this dish. Capsicum too is a good choice of vegetable.