Lentils can jazz up any dish for me and this one is no exception. I always sneak in lentils into most dishes because it is a good source of protein. ‘Paruppu’ means ‘lentils’ in our language and this dish is usually made with green beans. Given the shortage of vegetable varieties in the area, I add whatever vegetable I have on hand to this dish. Cabbage, broccoli are other choices as well. The crumbly lentils along with the vegetable goes perfectly with rice and is loved by all at home. You can also freeze the lentil balls and make this curry in a jiffy. Off to the recipe.
Capsicum Paruppu Usili (Bell Pepper Lentil Curry)
Tasty curry with peppers and lentils.
Ingredients:
- For Lentil Paste
- toor dal - 1/2 cup (thuvaram paruppu )
- channa dal - 1/2 cup (kadala paruppu)
- red chillies - 3
- salt - to taste
- asafoetida - a bit
- For Vegetables
- bell pepper - 2 1/4 cup - diced
- salt - to taste
- oil - 2 tsp
- mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp (kadugu)
Instructions:
Soak the dals and chillies for about 2 hours. Make a coarse paste with salt and asafoetida.
Make small balls of the mixture and steam them until cooked. (About 20 - 30 minutes). Crumble the mixture. Meanwhile steam or boil the bell peppers.
Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add the crumbled dal and saute for about 15 minutes until the mixture resembles coarse, crisp crumbs. Add the cooked bell pepper and mix well. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve with rice or roti.
Any vegetable like green beans, broccoli, etc. can be used instead of bell pepper.
1 year ago: Greek Salad
2 years ago: Tofu Squash Curry
3 years ago: Peas Sundal with Masala
Pictorial
1. Soak the dals and chillies for about 2 hours.
2. Take with salt and asafoetida in a blender.
3. Blend coarsely.
4. Make small balls of the mixture.
5. Steam the balls for about 20 - 30 minutes until the balls are cooked.
6. Allow to cool a bit and crumble the cooked balls.
7. Steam or boil the bell peppers.
8. Cooked peppers.
9. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.
10. Add the crumbled dal and saute.
11. After about 15 minutes the dal resembles a coarse, crisp mixture.
12. Add the cooked peppers. Taste and add salt as needed.
13. Mix it together. Serve with rice or roti.
Healthy and tasty curry ready.
Enjoy!
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Beautiful dish..
Such a break from the regular paruppu usili we make with beans and cabbage.
Delicious side dish, can have with some rasam and rice.