EASY PARUPPU USALI

Normally to make beans, avaraikkai broad beans) or kothavarangai( cluster beans) paruppu usali, one has to grind, then steam, then crumble it, season it and add to cooked vege. Now, since most ladies are hard pressed for time, an easy way, no grinding, just soak some moong dal for few minutes, if you want it to cook fast, or even without soaking, it gets cooked easily along with the vege.


Note- only for kothavarangai, one has to boil it with turmeric pdr, salt, then drain it well before using as any vege, as it has a slight bitter taste, which most people don't like.


INGREDIENTS

moong dal 1 cup

beans 250 gm ( wash and chop small)- so that it gets cooked easily

oil 1 tsp

mustard seeds  1/2 tsp

urad dal 1 tsp

dry red chilies 2-3 broken into half

hing little

salt to taste

turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp

fresh grated coconut 2 tbsp ( optional)


METHOD

I normally wash and soak the moong dal, till I can wash and cut the beans, so it will cook faster.

In a kadai, put oil, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add urad dal and red chilies, once the dal turns golden, add hing, and the soaked dal, add the cut beans / avarakkai, turmeric pdr., mix well, cover after a minute, adding little water to cook on low flame.

Stir after every 3 minutes well, to make sure that the dal and beans get cooked properly.

Add salt, mix well, if desired one can add some grated coconut, but I never add .


NOTE- you can use more or less dal. The recipe can be doubled when you use more beans, so increase the quantity of dal proportionately.

Only for kothavarangai, boil the vege till cooked, drain.

In the mean time, in another kadai, add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, chilies, hing, add the washed dal, turmeric, mix and cook the dal with enough water, once dal is cooked, add the cooked kothavarangai, mix well, add salt as needed.

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Cluster beans ( Kothavarangai)/ gawar ki phali paruppu usali vege

Cluster beans is not advised for kidney patients. whose urea levels are high. So those with kidney problems may avoid it.

As cluster beans/ kothavarangai has a slightly bitter taste, best is to boil it with salt & turmeric powder, once cooked,s train it, squeeze out the water & keep. unlike beans as by itself, it doesn't taste that good, so, one way is to make it with dals. i.e, soak about one small cup of chana dal & equal quantity of arhar dal. grind it with 3-4 red chilies, 2" ginger , 6-8 garlic, optional, with salt to taste. The mixture need not be thick, as it can be cooked in microwave in 5 minutes, so unlike vada batter, it can be slightly thinner than that. grease a microwave dish with oil, put the batter, cook for 2 minutes, stir well, cook for another min. & so on till done. This can be steamed in idli plates, then the batter should be slightly thick. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a thick kadai, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, once it crackles, add 1/2 tsp hing pdr., add the cooked dal mixture, making sure they're not in lumps, by breaking it well. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cooked cluster beans, check for salt.

ps- the amount of dal for 1/4 kg of ckuster beans can vary as per one's taste, as some like to have more dal in this vege. This vege goes well with onion vathak kulambu, or South Indian Mor kulambu, i.e., South Indian kadi.