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Beans paruppu usili - Cooked green beans combined together with a spicy lentil mixture (toor dal and chillies). This is a traditional tamil recipe and is a dry vegetable side dish.

Beans Paruppu Usili

Beans paruppu usili - Cooked green beans combined together with a spicy lentil mixture (toor dal and chillies). This is a traditional tamil recipe and is a dry vegetable side dish.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Tamil Nadu
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 persons
Author Nisha

Ingredients

For making usili (lentil mixture)

  • ½ cup toor dal
  • 2 tablespoon channa dal
  • 4 red chillies
  • A pinch of asafoetida
  • Salt to taste

For beans paruppu usili

  • 3 cups chopped green beans
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 3-4 curry leaves, torn
  • 2 red chillies
  • A pinch of asafoetida

Instructions

For making usili (lentil mixture)

  1. Soak the dal in water for minimum 3 hours or more. Drain the water and grind the dal with red chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and salt. Grind it coarsely into a paste. Do not add water while grinding. 

  2. Spread this mixture on a oil greased plate or idly plate. Spread it as thin as possible and steam cook for about 10-12 minutes.

  3. Once it is cooled, separate the lumps with your hand or pulse once in a mixer. It should be of sand texture.

For the Beans paruppu usili

  1. Meanwhile boil/steam the beans and moong dal with salt until they are tender. Drain any excess water and keep aside.

  2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add the mustard seeds and once they splutter add curry leaves, red chillies, urad dal and asafoetida ( mentioned under For beans paruppu usili in ingredients list ). Give a quick stir.

  3. Now add the ground dal mixture and sauté it for about a couple of minutes. You can remove some of the dal mixture and keep it aside. This plain usili can be mixed in plain rice and had as such. 

    Add the cooked beans to this pan and mix it well. 

  4. Keep stirring for about a minute. Check for seasoning and adjust salt. Once they mix well, turn off the flame.

  5. Serving Suggestions: This pairs well with mor kuzhambu, mor sambar or vatha kuzhambu. 

    You can also mix just the plain usili in rice and have it as such. 

Recipe Notes

  1. Soaking the dal for a longer time is essential to get softer usili. Soak it for a minimum 3 hours. Then drain the water completely and grind it to a coarse paste.
  2. Steam it well. The dal mixture should look dry and when you rub it between your fingers, it should not be sticky.
  3. Spread it on a wide plate / steamer to ensure minimum cooking time and even cooking.
  4. You can use the mixer to pulse the steamed usili. The steamed usili needs to be broken down and separated. If you use your hand, it might be difficult and time consuming.
  5. The final usili consistency will be soft and crumbled.
  6. You can substitute beans with Cluster Beans, Snow-peas, Plantain flower and cabbage. Procedure is the same.
  7. Morkozhambu and parupusuli is a best combination.
  8. The plain paruppu usuli can be mixed in rice and eaten. Before adding the beans, take some of the parupusuli and keep aside.