Recipe: KOTHAVARANGAI PARUPPU USILI (கொத்தவரங்காய் பருப்பு உசிலி)

This dish is special to Tamil Nadu and is a hot favourite at my home. It is delicious and very healthy. It is eaten as a side dish and is best when combined with Mor Kuzhambu (மோர் குழம்பு) and rice. Tastes good with rasam (ரசம்) and rice too! Here I have given the recipe for Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili (கொத்தவரங்காய் பருப்பு உசிலி). Kothavarangai (Cluster Beans) can be replaced with Vazhappu (வாழைப்பூ) (flower of banana plant) or French beans.

Ingredients:

Tur Dal (तुर दाल) (துவரம் பருப்பு): 1 cup
Channa Dal (चन्ना दाल) (கடலை பருப்பு): 1 cup
Kothavarangai (गावर) (கொத்தவரங்காய்) – 300 gms (chopped)
Red Chillies – 4
Haldi – 1 pinch
हिंग (Asafoetida) (பெருங்காயம்) – 1 pinch
Rai (राइ) (கடுகு)– 1 tsp
Urad Dal (उड़द दाल) (உளுத்தம் பருப்பு )– 2 tsp
Curry Leaves (कदिपत्ता) (கருவேப்பிலை) – 2 strips
Salt to taste
Oil – 3 tbsp

Method:

Soak both the dals together two to three hours before you start making this vegetable. After they have soaked for the required time, drain the water and coarse-grind the dals with chillies, and one strip of curry leaves. Mix the ground dal and chopped kothavarangai with salt and haldi and steam it in an idli mould. Remove from idli pan when it is well cooked and wait for it to cool a bit. Crumble the dal idlis using your hand or with a spoon. Take a non-stick kadai and pour oil and crackle rai in it. Add the urad dal and wait for it to become red. Then add the curry leaves, hing and then the steamed usili to the pan and mix well. Keep the flame low and let it cook without placing a lid. Keep turning it on and off till the whole usili becomes golden brown.
Nothing to beat hot Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili (கொத்தவரங்காய் பருப்பு உசிலி), Mor Kuzhambu (மோர் குழம்பு)-rice combo on a rainy Sunday afternoon.