Beans Parupu Usili

Today’s recipe, Beans Parupu Usili, is a popular South Indian side dish. In this dish, soaked toor dal is combined with spices and ground and steamed. Once cooled, it is crumbled and added to stir-fried beans. This side dish is commonly served with Rasam and steamed rice and tastes absolutely delicious. It can also be eaten as an evening snack. It is light, healthy, and nutritious.

You can use the same recipe and use other vegetables such as asparagus, spring onions, capsicum, etc. I have already shared the recipe for Asparagus Parupu Usili, which I commonly make during spring when asparagus is in season and abundantly available in Germany.

I have already shared recipes for side dishes served in South Indian meals. Do check them out here.

Let’s check out the recipe for Beans Parupu Usili.

Equipment Needed:

Steamer
Pan
Knives and Cutting Board
Spatula
Mixer Grinder

To learn about all the kitchen equipment I use, check out my article: Setting up my Indian Kitchen in Germany.

Ingredients for Beans Parupu Usili:

20-25 Stalks of French Beans (400 gms)
2 tbsp Groundnut Oil
1 tsp Chana Dal
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Mustard Seeds/Cumin Seeds
⅓ tsp Asafoetida
8-10 Fresh Curry Leaves
2-3 Dry Red Chillies
¾ tsp Salt
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Grated Coconut
1-2 tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves

Ingredients for the Dal Mixture (Parupu):

½ Cup Toor Dal; washed and soaked for 4 hours
1-2 Dry Red Chillies (optional, omit if you don’t like it)
½ tsp Asafoetida
¼ tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

Some Notes about Ingredient sourcing in Germany:

French Beans: These are available in supermarkets and farm shops. They are called Buschbohnen in German. They are available fresh (in the vegetable section of supermarkets) and frozen (in the freezer section).
Groundnut Oil: Available in Indian shops.
Chana Dal: Available in Indian shops.
Urad Dal: Available in Indian shops.
Mustard Seeds/Cumin Seeds: Available in Indian shops.
Asafoetida: Available in Indian shops.
Fresh Curry Leaves: Available in Indian shops.
Dry Red Chillies: Available in Indian shops.
Salt: Available in supermarkets. Called Salz in German. Read my article about Salt in German supermarkets.
Turmeric Powder: Available in both Indian shops and German supermarkets. Prices are more reasonable in Indian shops. Called Kurkuma in German.
Grated Coconut: Fresh grated coconut is available in frozen form in many Indian shops. You can also buy dried ones from Indian shops or German Supermarkets. In German, it is called Kokosraspel. Fresh coconuts are also sometimes available in some supermarkets and Indian shops, but the freshness is often doubtful.
Fresh Coriander Leaves: Available in Indian and Turkish shops. Also, available in some German Supermarkets.
Toor Dal: Available in Indian shops.

Method to make Beans Parupu Usili:

Wash the soaked toor dal. Drain out all the excess water.

Grind the soaked dal with salt, dry red chillies, turmeric powder, and asafoetida in a mixie jar.

Grind it to a fine paste. Don’t add extra water.

Steam this dal mixture till it is fully cooked. On high heat, it takes about 10-12 minutes. Remove and let this mixture cool. Once cooled, use your fingers to make them into crumbs. Keep these aside.

Heat oil in a pan. On medium heat, fry chana dal, urad dal, mustard/cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and asafoetida.

Add chopped beans.

Add salt and turmeric powder. Lower the heat. Cover and cook till the beans turn tender.

Then, add the crumbled dal mixture. Mix everything and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Taste and adjust the salt.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut, and serve.

Serve as a standalone dish or as a side dish with rasam and rice.

Here is the recipe in printable format: