Beans Paruppu Usili : Beans and Lentils side dish

Paruppu Usili is a traditional Tamil Brahmin recipe where coarsely ground roasted lentils are cooked along veggies. One common veggie to be used in this recipe is Beans.

As a passionate but amateur gardener I have a good size vegetable bed in one part of my garden and I have been planting different veggies for last two years. This year I have planted Beans coz my son loves to munch on raw beans. Anyway to cut it short I have been getting good amount of beans. After my son munched on some I'm left with not so many. I was thinking on how to use them and this recipe saved my day. It goes well with Rice and Sambar.I like it with Roti too.

If you are looking for similar recipes where Veggies and lentils are cooked together (not Dhal) do check the following recipes on my blog:

• Moringa (Drumstic leaves) with Toor dal (Yellow lentils)
• Spinach with Yellow lentils (Toordal)
• Anaheim chili with Moong dal (Split green gram) 
• Cabbage with Chana dal (Split bengalgram) 

Servings:

Four (4) 

Total time: 

1 hr (Including soaking time) 

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Chana dal (Split Bengalgram)
• 2 Tbsp Toordal (Yellow lentils)
• 3 Red chillies or adjust
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 Tsp Hing (Inguva) 
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric 
• 1 1/4 cup Beans
• 3 Tbsp Oil
• Few Curry leaves 
• 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds 
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds 

Beans Paruppu Usili Recipe 

• Soak both lentils for 30-45 minutes.
• Grind lentils coarsely with 3 Red chillies, Salt to taste and 1/4 tsp Turmeric. Do not add water. Take mixture into a bowl. 
• Take an Idli plate. If you do not have Idli plate you can use a wide steel plate. Fill Idli plates with the lentil mixture and Steam for 15 minutes. Do not put whistle.

• Remove lentil patties from the plate. Let them cool. Now crumble cooked lentil patties with hands or pulse in mixie. I did it with my hands and I liked the final outcome. Using mixie will give finer and even crumbs. 

• Chop beans into small pieces.Cook beans and keep aside.You can do this when soaking lentils. This will save some time. I used Microwave for cooking beans. Add little water and beans to microwave safe bowl and cook. Alternatively you can use a vessel on stove top.It took 7 minutes in Microwave. The beans were almost done and the rest of the cooking was done in Pan. 

• Now take 2-3 tbsp oil in a fry pan, add Mustard and Cumin seeds. Add curry leaves. Let em splutter.

• Add crumbled lentils. Roast 5-6 minutes. 
• Add cooked Beans, fry another 5 minutes.Beans will be completely cooked and Usili will be crumbly by this step.

• Turn off stove and serve with Rice and Rasam/Sambar. 

Tips: 

• You can add ginger to the lentils while grinding.
• You can use green chillies instead red chillies.
• You can make Usili (lentil mixture) in large quantities and freeze. This will save lot of time when you wanna make the curry.