Green Beans Lentil Usili Recipe - Iyengar Style

Step 1: To begin making the Green Beans Paruppu Usili Recipe, soak the toor dal in water for about 1 hour

Step 2: Once the dal is soaked until soft; drain the excess water

Step 3: Into a food processor/mixer, add in the toor dal, turmeric powder and dried red chillies and blend to make a coarse mixture

Step 4: You want the Paruppu Usili to have a coarse texture when steamed

Step 5: Grease the steamer plates or idli plates with a oil and spoon the ground paruppu usili mixture into the steamer plates

Step 6: Place the filled steamer plates into the steamer and steam for 10 minutes on high heat

Step 7: Once steamed, turn off the heat and keep aside and allow it to cool

Step 8: Once the cooled, transfer to a large mixing bowl and crumble the steamed paruppu - this mixture is called the paruppu usili (crumbled dal)

Step 9: Keep this aside

Step 10: The next step is to cook the green beans

Step 11: In a pressure cooker, add the chopped green beans along with 2 tablespoons of water

Step 12: Sprinkle in a little salt

Step 13: Pressure cook the green beans for 2 whistles on high heat, turn off the heat and run the pressure cooker under water to release pressure immediately

Step 14: The beans will be cooked perfectly without loss of colour and nutrition

Step 15: Place a wok or kadai on medium heat and add a teaspoon of oil

Step 16: Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and urad dal and allow it to crackle and the dal to turn golden brown

Step 17: After the seeds have crackled, add asafoetida, the curry leaves and the steamed paruppu usili and mix thoroughly

Step 18: Saute the dal in the oil for a good 3 to 4 minutes until it gets a perfect crumbly texture

Step 19: Once you have a good texture, stir in the green beans and turn off the heat

Step 20: Check the salt and adjust to taste accordingly

Step 21: Serve Green Beans Paruppu Usili along with Sundakkai / Manathakkali Kai Vathal Kuzhambu Recipe and Steamed Rice for a weekday meal