Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili / Cluster Beans Channa Usli ( Iyengar )

Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili / Cluster Beans Chana Dal Usili

Recipe Details

Allow an additional 1 hour for soaking the chana dal.

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Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• Kothavarangai / Cluster beans – 2 cups, chopped
• Chana dal – 1/2 cup

For Cooking the Chana Dal

• Water – 1 cup, for pressure cooking

For Cooking the Cluster Beans

• Water – 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp, divided
• Salt – to taste, divided
• Sugar – 1 tsp

For Tempering and Frying

• Oil – 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Green chilies – 8, slit
• Asafoetida / Hing – a pinch
• Garlic – 3 cloves, crushed
• Onion – 1 medium, chopped
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Grated coconut – 2 tsp
• Coriander leaves – 3 tbsp, chopped

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Preparation

1. Soak the chana dal in water for about 1 hour.
2. Drain and rinse the soaked dal, then grind it into a coarse paste without making it completely smooth.
3. Transfer the ground dal to a heatproof vessel and pressure cook with 1 cup water in the cooker for about 1–2 whistles, or until cooked through.
4. Allow it to cool slightly, then crumble the cooked dal with a fork or your fingers so it remains loose rather than forming large lumps.
5. Trim and chop the cluster beans into small pieces.
6. Crush the garlic, slit the green chilies, and chop the onion and coriander leaves.

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Cook the Cluster Beans

1. Add the chopped cluster beans to a pan with 1/2 cup water.
2. Add some of the turmeric powder, salt, and the sugar.
3. Cook until the beans are tender.
4. Drain any remaining water and keep the cooked beans aside.

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Cooking Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
3. Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and asafoetida.
4. Add the crushed garlic and chopped onion.
5. Sauté until the onion softens and the garlic becomes aromatic.
6. Add the cooked and crumbled chana dal.
7. Add the remaining turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt as needed.
8. Fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so the dal does not stick or burn.
9. Add the cooked cluster beans and grated coconut.
10. Mix well and continue frying until the mixture becomes dry and the dal is evenly distributed through the beans.
11. Add the chopped coriander leaves.
12. Mix gently and remove from the heat.

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Tips

Chana Dal Texture: Grind the soaked dal coarsely rather than into a smooth paste. This gives Paruppu Usili its characteristic crumbly texture.

Keep the Dal Loose: After pressure cooking, crumble the dal before adding it to the pan so it does not remain in large clumps.

Drain the Beans: Drain any excess cooking water from the cluster beans before adding them to the dal mixture. The finished usili should be fairly dry.

Green Chilies: The original recipe uses 8 green chilies, which makes this quite spicy. Reduce the quantity if you prefer a milder version.

Final Frying: Give the dal and beans enough time in the pan for excess moisture to evaporate, but stir frequently to prevent the bottom from burning.

Serving Suggestion

Serve Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili as a side dish with steamed white rice and puli kuzhambu, sambar, rasam, or curd rice.