Beans Paruppu Usili

Chikkudukaya Patoli.

Paruppu usili is a dry South Indian curry made of dal or combination of dals / lentils. Here, patoli is prepared by first soaking the chana dal and grinding it into coarse paste. The ground chana dal paste is then pressure cooked and then crumbled into powder. Oil is tempered with spices and beans are cooked in it along with the crumbled dal for the finished recipe.
Makes: around 3 Servings of Beans Paruppu Usli.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Beans 15 – 20
• Chana Dal 1/2 Cup
• Whole Red Chiles 2
• Garlic 3 Cloves
• Turmeric Powder a big Pinch
• Salt to taste

Talimpu:

• Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
• Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
• Broken Red Chiles 3
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Curry Leaves 4
• Oil 1 tsp

Method of preparation:

Wash, snap both ends of the fresh beans and chop them into inch long pieces.
Bring to boil few cups of water, add chopped beans and salt.
Cook till beans are just soft but firm.
Strain the cooked green beans and keep aside.

Peel and lightly crush the garlic cloves.
Soak chana dal in fresh water for couple of hours.
Refresh the soaked dals in fresh water.
Grind the soaked chana dal into somewhat coarse paste adding enough water.
Mix few pinches of salt into coarsely ground chana dal mixture.
Spread the ground chana dal mixture onto a wide vessel.
Pressure cook the chana dal mixture for 3 whistles.
Remove the cooked chana dal mixture from cooker and crumble it with help of fingers into coarse powder.
If the dal mixture is cooled off, you use a food processor to do the same job.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat , add red chiles and fry till it changes color. Remove it onto a plate and finely crush with along with a pinch of salt.
Into the same pan with remaining oil, add all talimpu ingredients in order along with garlic cloves.
When urad dal changes color, add cooked green beans and salt.
Fry for couple of minutes and then stir in crumbled dal mixture, crushed red chile and turmeric powder.
Cook covered for few minutes and uncover and fry for a minute or two to let evaporate any leftover moisture.
Adjust any seasonings if required.
Serve beans paruppu usili with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.
Notes: Make sure not to add too much water while grinding the chana dal.

Suggestions: Check the pressure cooked dal mixture by piercing a toothpick in the middle to make sure it is done.
Variations: You can also grind the red chile along with chana dal. You can also add chopped green chiles to the tempering for more spice.
Other Names: Fresh Beans Paruppu Usli, Chikkudu Patoli,Chikkudukaya Patoli, Green Beans Paruppu Usili.