Green Beans Parupusili

Growing up, I was not a very cooperative kid when it comes to food. I very much regret now for having wasted almost a quarter of my life (I like to believe that I will live up to 100). I used to detest almost everything without even giving it a try and for no reason at all. All I can say is, my eating habit has been downright shameful. All my mother’s efforts to make me eat better went in vain. How I pity her now. There were very few things I used to like and so without a doubt, those few dishes definitely made its appearance on the dinner table more often.

This dish that I am now talking about – Beans Parupusili is one such favorite of mine. It was one of the very few vegetables I used to eat… well to be more honest, apart from this dish, I don’t remember on top of my head eating any other vegetable other than potatoes and ladies finger. Please do not judge! I warned you already it was shameful. And hey, I am far better now (I am now so so so proud of myself that broccoli is my new favorite that I keep telling about it whenever/wherever I can, great change, right?)

So, how can I not have the recipe of my favorite dish on blog? Would that not be shameful now? So here it is ! Beans Parupusili is a classic south indian dish and if I am right, makes it appearance mostly in the kitchens of Tamilians. Please let me know in the comments below if you have similar dish with different name in your regional cuisine.

Ingredients:

Toor dhal : 3/4 cup
Channa dhal: 1/4 cup
Red chillies: 5-6
Green beans: 2 cups finely chopped
Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Oil: 1 tsp
Salt : as needed

Preparation:

1. Soak toor dhal,channa dhal and red chillies in water for at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the cut green beans with sufficient water in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. You can also cook the green beans in microwave with sufficient water in a microwave safe bowl for 5 to 7 minutes ( it may vary). You will know it is cooked when they turn soft. Make sure they are not overcooked or mushy.
3. Grind the soaked lentils and red chillies in a blender without adding water.It should be a coarse mixture.

Method:

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add the ground mixture and salt.
3. Fry the paste until it changes it color to brown.It should be nicely cooked and have a crumbled texture.
4. Drain the water from the cooked beans and add them to the mixture.
5. Give it a good stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Beans parupisili is now ready to be served with steamed rice along with mor kuzhambu/vathakuzhambu.

Tips:

You can also steam the ground lentil paste in a steamer/idli pans for 15 minutes or until cooked and then crumble the steamed mixture in hand or a mixer instead of method #3. I usually cook it in the pan instead of steaming it separate.