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A classic Tamil Brahmin dish featuring tender green beans tossed with a savory, spiced crumble of steamed lentils. This protein-packed poriyal is a wonderful side for sambar or rasam rice.
Soak the Lentils
Grind the Dal Paste
Steam the Dal Paste
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A classic Tamil Brahmin dish featuring tender green beans tossed with a savory, spiced crumble of steamed lentils. This protein-packed poriyal is a wonderful side for sambar or rasam rice.
This south_indian recipe takes 55 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 226.8 calories per serving with 9.71g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner or side.
Prepare the Usili Crumble
Cook the French Beans
Prepare the Tempering and Combine
Finish the Dish
This recipe works wonderfully with other vegetables like cluster beans (kothavarangai), asparagus, bell peppers, or even finely shredded cabbage. Adjust cooking time accordingly.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of sambar powder along with the turmeric while cooking the beans for a different flavor profile.
For added texture and richness, garnish with 2 tablespoons of freshly grated coconut at the end.
The combination of toor dal and chana dal provides a high-quality source of plant-based protein, essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
Both green beans and lentils are excellent sources of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, and promotes a feeling of fullness.
The complex carbohydrates from the lentils offer a sustained release of energy, making this dish a great way to stay energized throughout the day without causing sharp spikes in blood sugar.
This dish is a good source of essential minerals like iron, magnesium, and folate, which are vital for blood production, nerve function, and cell growth.
One serving of Beans Usili contains approximately 220-240 calories, making it a nutritious and moderately low-calorie side dish. The calories come mainly from the lentils and the oil used for tempering.
Yes, Beans Usili is very healthy. It is rich in plant-based protein from the lentils, high in dietary fiber from the beans, and packed with essential minerals. It's a balanced and wholesome vegetarian dish.
Absolutely. You can prepare the steamed and crumbled usili up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you're ready to cook, simply prepare the beans and tempering, then add the pre-made crumble.
The most common reason for a sticky crumble is adding too much water while grinding the dal paste. The paste should be very thick. Another reason could be not cooling the steamed dal cake completely before crumbling it.
Beans Usili is a traditional South Indian side dish (poriyal) that pairs perfectly with rice and a gravy-based dish like Sambar, Rasam, or Mor Kuzhambu (buttermilk curry).
While the classic recipe uses toor dal and chana dal for their specific texture and flavor, you could experiment. Using only toor dal is common. Masoor dal (red lentils) can also be used for a quicker version as it requires less soaking, but the final texture will be much softer.