Asparagus Paruppu Usili / Asparagus with Crumbled Lentils

Here I am with another traditional south indian dish, except with a very unconventional south indian vegetable. Paruppu Usili  is a side dish  generally made with beans, cluster beans, or plantain flower mixed with a crumbled toor dal,channa dal mixture. It is usually made on special occasions or on weekends  as in my household as it takes a little time to do it. I've used asparagus instead of the beans.

Asparagus was on sale and why not use it!

Get ready:

• 1 bunch asparagus ( tender ones preferred)
• 3 tbsp toor dal
• 1 -2 red chilli
• 1/4 tsp asafetida
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• few curry leaves
• salt to tatse

Go:

• wash the asparagus and chop them like beans. discard the tough stalks.
• steam this asparagus in a pan or microwave with little salt and set aside.
• Soak the dal for 20 -25 mins with red chilli.
• coarsely grind them with a little salt and asafetida. Grease a idli stand and steam the ground paste in a pressure cooker for 10 -15 mins.
• Let it cool.
• In a pan, add oil do tadka with mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves.
• Add the steamed lentil paste and crumble it till crispy stirring constantly. may take 5 mins or so.
• Now add the steamed asparagus to the crumbled mixture, toss them all together.
• adjust salt to taste and serve hot with rice, sambhar or rasam.

Delicious paruppu usili is ready!