Carrot Paruppu Usili Recipe – Steamed Lentils Crumbled With Carrots

An extremely healthy dish, Paruppu Usili is a traditional South Indian dish which is made with a combination of steamed crumbled lentils and chopped vegetables. The most commonly prepared Paruppu Usili are with French Beans, Vazhaipoo (Banana Blossoms) and Vendhaya Keerai (Fenugreek Leaves). You can use your favourite vegetable in this recipe and make it according to your taste and preference. Course : Lunch Ingridients : 1 cup Carrots (Gajjar) , cut into small cubes 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu) 1 Dry Red Chilli 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing) 1 sprig Curry leaves 3 teaspoons Oil Salt , to taste Ingredients to make the Paruppu Usili 1 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal) 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf) 2 Dry Red Chillies Salt , to taste Instructions To begin making the Carrot Paruppu Usili Recipe, wash and soak toor dal for 30 minutes.After 30 minutes drain the water from dal. Combine the soaked toor dal along with fennel seeds, dried red chillies, and salt in a mixer jar and grind to a coarse mix using a mixer grinder. Transfer to a bowl. Heat an idli steamer on medium heat, with a cup of water. Grease the idli mould and keep it ready. Now make small lemon sized balls of the prepared toor dal mix, and place it in the idli mould. Cover and steam cook for 10 minutes, until the dal mixture is cooked. (Don't make the ball of dals too tight as the lentils will not steam very well)In a wide pan, add oil and heat it on medium heat, add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and let it splutter. Add the dried red chilli, curry leaves and let it crackle.Add the cubed carrots, season with salt, mix well, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the carrots are cooked well.Meanwhile, remove the steamed toor dal balls, crumble it with your hands so that it resembles the sandy texture.Once the carrots are cooked well, add this crumbled toor dal mix to the pan and mix well.At this stage you can add a teaspoon or two of oil, if the mixture looks too dry.Saute for 2 minutes, until the dal crumbles are nice and crispy and switch off the heat. It is ready to be served.Serve Carrot Paruppu Usili Recipe along with Steamed Rice, Jeera Milagu Rasam, Chow Chow Poricha Kootu and Roasted Papad for a weekend lunch.