Asparagus Paruppu Usili

Serves: 4

1 cup channa dal

Overnight soak channa dal in water

1 tsp salt
2 dry red chilies
asafetida

Grind channa dal with salt, dry red chilies, asafetida. DO NOT add any water while blending. I blended this in 2 batches in my vitamix.

Boil 3 cups water in the Idly cooker.

Grease the Idly plates (MUST), place the ground mixture on the idly plates. Add the Idly plates to the Idly cooker and cook for 12 minutes. Once the mixture is cool, crumble the mixture onto a plate. (I left this in the closed Idly pan for 10 minutes, opened and kept to cool for 10 minutes). I cooked this in 3 Idly plates.

2.25 pounds Costco asparagus, stems finely chopped and spears kept aside

1/4 cup water

Add asparagus stems, water, close the pan and cook asparagus stems with water for 3 minutes.

Add spears, close the pan and cook for another 2 more minutes.

1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 dry red chilies, broken

1 cup onion, finely chopped

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter, add dry red chilies, add onion, sauté till onion becomes translucent.

2 tbsp oil

Add oil, crumbled lentils, roast the lentils for 7 minutes in medium flame. (you can add unto 1 more spoon of oil)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt

Add cooked asparagus, turmeric powder, salt, sauté for 5 more minutes.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME
Source: kannammacooks
Broccoli Paruppu Usili: I used 3 cups of broccoli and sautéed in 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes and followed the same recipe as Asparagus Paruppu Usili. But felt I should have added 6 cups, I can hardly see any broccoli in this Usili.