Cluster beans, commonly referred to as “Kothavarangai” (கொத்தவரங்காய்) in Tamil, are packed with fiber and proteins, along with a variety of other essential nutrients that offer numerous health benefits.
“Usili” translates to “crumbled” in English. This dish involves soaking lentils, grinding them into a paste, steaming them, and then crumbling them to be added to a curry. Vegetable Usili can be made using beans, cabbage, or plantain flower also. Alternatively, a plain dal Usili can be made without any added vegetables.
Cluster Beans Usili
8
servings30
minutes20
minutesDiscover the nutritional benefits of cluster beans, also known as “Kothavarangai” in Tamil. High in fiber and protein, they offer numerous health advantages.
Ingredients
Cluster Beans – Cut into small pieces 1 big bowl
Thuvar dal – 1/2 cup
Bengal gram dal – 1/2 cup
Red chillies – 2 to 3 Nos
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Sambar Powder – 1 teaspoon
A pinch of asafetida
Coconut gratings – two tablespoons (optional)
Oil – 1 tablespoon
Mustard – 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves few
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Directions
- Wash and soak both the dals for two hours. Drain the water and grind along with chillies, asafetida, pinch of turmeric powder and salt to a coarse paste (like vadai dough).
- Grease idli plate and put the paste into that and steam it like idli for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove it and cool it. Break it by your fingers into tiny bits.
- Put cluster beans pieces in a vessel and add sambar powder, turmeric powder and little salt along with enough water to cover the vegetable. Cook on medium flame till it is soft. Drain the excess water and keep aside.
- In a kadai put the oil. When it is hot add mustard. When it pops up add curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida powder and then add cooked dhal and fry for a while.
- Then add cooked vegetable and fry for one minute.
- Then add coconut gratings and mix well. Keep it stove for one more minute and remove.
Recipe Video
Notes
- You can make vegetable Usili using beans, cabbage or plantain flower. You can also make plain dal Usili without any vegetable.
Nice Recipe!
Thank You Madam, Have been longing for this recipe quite a while.
Hi MJ,
Thank you for visiting. Please post your feed back on this recipe.
Dear Madam,
The photos in your web site are very good. When we cook Beans and avarai it looses its bright green colour. But in your photos it looks green. Can you please tell me how to maintain the colour of the cooked vegetable.
Gomathi
Hi Gomathi,
If we overcook the vegetable, it loses its colour. Cluster beans, I first cook it with very little water without adding anything. Then drain off the excess water if any. And then season it with other ingredients.
Other vegetables like fresh beans and avaraikai, I add a pinch of turmeric, little sambar powder and salt and sprinkle only a handful of water and cook only for few minutes. Then it will retain its colour. Microwaving the vegetable will also help to retain the colour of the vegetables.