Paruppu Usili!!

Paruppu ( Dal/ lentils) Usili (crumble) is one the favorite dishes of any Iyer household.

After we were betrothed, in an effort to understand my to-be hubby and before i even knew how to cook, I asked Ji(Hubby!!), "What's your favorite dish?" The answer was instantaneous, " Paruppu Usili" he said. My head started spinning. Even though i adored Paruppu Usili, it just looked very complicated.
But now i'm really confident while doing the dish. And with a little love and affection, it becomes extra special.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
• Chana Dal: 3/4 Cup 
• Red Chilli : 5-6 ( or as required)
• Vegetable of your choice : You can use Beans, Cabbage, Vazhai-poo ( Plantain flower) or Kothavarangai (Clustered beans). You can use only one vegetable at a time. : 1/4 kg Chopped
• Salt : As Required
• Asafoetida: 2 pinches
• Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
• Urad Dal: 1 tsp
• Curry leaves : A spring
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Oil : 5 tsps

Method:

1. Soak the Dals together in water for an hour.
2. Drain the water And grind the dals with the red chillies,asafoetida and salt ( requied for the dal) without water. If you feel it is too coarse just sprinkle a little water.
3. Steam cook ground dals like idlies.
4. In the mean time cook the chopped vegetable with salt and water. Cook until they are 3/4th cooked.
5. After the dal is cooked, let it cool and crumble the steamed mixture. ( I usually run it in the mixer for a few seconds, until it crumbles).
6. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add Urad dal and let it brown. Add curry leaves.
7. Add the dal crumble and let it crumble and cook well. Let it brown very slightly.
8. Add the cooked vegetables and saute well. Let it on the stove or 3-5 mins and switch off.

Tasty, mouth-watering paruppu usili is ready. Usili goes well with Vathakuzhambu, Sambar, Rasam, Mor-kuzhambu etc.

P.S: If you want the Usili very soft, reverse the dal quantities.

Enjoy!!!!