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    Home » Dry Curries » Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili | Banana Flower and Lentils Dry Curry

    Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili | Banana Flower and Lentils Dry Curry

    Posted on September 1, 2020 · Last Updated on August 31, 2020 · By Srividhya G · 16 Comments

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    paruppu usili with text overlay for pinterest

    Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili – A delicious dry-curry or poriyal with steamed and crumbled lentils and banana flower. Learn how to make this signature dish of Tamil Nadu with detailed step-wise pictures.

    overhead shot of banana flower paruppu usili served on a bowl placed on plate

    Paruppu Usili is a classic and traditional recipe from the state of Tamil Nadu. Paruppu means lentils, and usili means crumbled or broken lentils. Along with lentils, we add a vegetable and call the dish with that name like beans paruppu usili, meaning beans with crumbled lentils or raw tomato paruppu usili means crumbled lentils with raw tomato.

    This usili is quite popular among the Tamil Brahmin community or as they say Tam-Brahm/Tambram community. It pairs really well with vathal kuzhambu or mor kuzhambu. They pair this usili with gravies without any dal, as this dish has dal. Look at how our ancestors made fantastic food combinations.

    I love my paruppu usili with vathal kuzhambu, and that’s how I served it today. Stay tuned for my thali/South Indian menu post, that coming later today!

    Veggies Used-

    We usually make paruppu usili with green beans, cluster beans, raw tomato, banana flower, cabbage, bell peppers. I have already shared beans paruppu usili and raw tomato usili. Now it’s time for the classic banana flower usili.

    Cleaning the banana flower-

    Here is a video that I made long before where I have shared how to clean the banana flower. 

    There are three main steps-

    1. Remove the layers
    2. Take the flowers and remove the stamen.
    3. Chop and add it in the buttermilk mixture

    Lentils to veggie measure-

    In some households, the lentils will be more than the veggies and vice versa. That’s ultimately a personal choice. In my other two usili recipes, I would have used ½ cup of lentils, but I went with 1 cup of mixed lentils for this recipe.

    Also, some make usili either with toor dal or with chana dal. But in our household, we always use both toor dal and chana dal, and also we go with equal measure. But you can adjust the toor dal and chana dal measure according to your preference.

    The preparation might sound lengthy and time-consuming, but it’s very straightforward, and with proper planning, you can make it quite easily.

    angled shot of vazhaipoo paruppu usili placed on a bowl on red mat

    Like every other recipe, this paruppu usili preparation differs from house to house. Both my mom and mil steam the ground lentils and then break them down. Whereas in my SIL household, they cook the ground lentils in the open-pot method instead of steaming.

    Today I am sharing the steamed version only, and without any further ado, here is the recipe.

    How to make paruppu usili with vazhaipoo-

    Soaking the lentils

    • Wash the toor dal and chana dal and soak it along with dried red chilies for 30 to 45 minutes. You can soak up to 1.5 hours.

    soaking the lentils for the usili

    Preparing the Usili | Grinding, Steaming and Crumbling the lentils

    Grinding the lentils

    • After 30 to 45 minutes, drain all the water from the lentils.
    • In a blender or mixer jar, add the drained lentils along with red chilies. Add 1.5 tsp salt (or to taste), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, and ⅛ tsp hing.

    lentils ready to be ground

    • Sprinkle water as required and grind it into a semi-smooth paste.

    ground lentils

    • Note – The lentil texture is a personal preference. You can grind it smooth or slightly coarse as well. Also, do not add all water at once. Add as required. It should be a thick paste.

    Steaming the ground lentils-

    • Grease the idli plates with oil and add 1 cup of water to the idli cooker or pressure cooker.
    • Take a handful of the ground lentil mixture and place it in the idli plate. I got four big balls like below. You can also steam it in a greased plate.

    lentils ready to be steamed

    • Now place the idli plates inside the cooker. I used my pressure cooker to steam the lentils. In the case of a pressure cooker, do not add the weight. Steam it for 10-12 minutes.

    steamed lentils

    Crumbling the lentils-

    • Once the pressure is released, remove the cooked lentil cakes.
    • Crumble them nicely like below and set aside. That’s it. The usili is ready.

    crumbling the lentils

    Steaming the veggie-

    • You can cook the vegetables in parallel. You can steam them in your preferred way either steam in Instant Pot or open-pot method or stove-top pressure cooker. I love to cook my dal for sambar, rice, and second veggie for kootu in stackable pans in the stove-top pressure cooker. So I went with that. We cooked plantain-flower with toor dal, chayote squash for kootu, and rice all at one time like below.

    cooking in pressure cooker stackable pans

    • Pressure cook the veggie by adding salt, ground turmeric, and ¼ cup of water for three whistles in a stove-top pressure cooker.
    • Once the pressure is off, set aside the vegetable.

    steamed banana flower

    • Note – As we were cooking rice, dal, and chayote squash in stackable pans, we went with three whistles. We kept the banana flower pan at the top. But if you are cooking banana flower alone, cook it for one whistle or at the max two whistles but not more than that.  I haven’t tried steaming banana flower in the Instant Pot. So I am not able to give precise timings. I will update this post as soon as I try it.

    Tempering and preparing the paruppu usili-

    • In a pan, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Let mustard seeds splutter and add the curry leaves and saute for 30 seconds.

    tempering for the paruppu usili

    • Next, add the cooked banana flower and saute it for two minutes.

    adding the banana flower

    • Now add the crumbled lentils and mix thoroughly.

    adding the crumbled lentils

    • Reduce the heat to medium-low. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and until light crust forms.

    mix and cook the paruppu usili

    • That’s it. Yummy vazhaipoo paruppu usili is ready.

    paruppu usili served on a white bowl placed on a red mat with curry leaves on the side

    • Serve hot with vathal kuzhambu or mor kuzhambu.

    Recipe Notes-

    • Adjust the red chilies and salt as per your spice preference.
    • You can make the usili either with toor dal or chana dal, but of course, the taste will slightly differ.
    • Depending upon the veggies you use, the cooking time might differ. The veggies should not turn into a mush. That’s the key.

    PS: Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates. If you try this paruppu usili recipe, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it asap.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas!

    Other Poriya Recipes | Dry Curries-

    • Broadbeans curry
    • Instant Pot green beans curry
    • Brinjal curry with freshly roasted spices
    • Red radish curry
    square image of vazhai poo paruppu usili
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    5 from 6 votes

    Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili | Banana Flower and Lentils Dry Curry

    Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili - A delicious dry-curry or poriyal with steamed and crumbled lentils and banana flower. An authentic dish from Tamil Nadu.
    Prep Time1 hr
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time1 hr 40 mins
    Course: Accompaniment, Entree
    Cuisine: Tamil Nadu
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 183kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • steamer, saucepan, and mixerjar or blender

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml;1tbsp=15ml;1tsp=5ml;

      For the Usili-

      • ½ cup toor dal
      • ½ cup chana dal
      • 5 dried red chilies
      • 1.5 tsp salt
      • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
      • ⅛ tsp asafoetida
      • ¼ water or as required to grind
      • 2 cups water to soak the lentils

      Vegetable-

      • 2 cups vazhaipoo/banana flower cleaned, stamed removed and chopped
      • 1.5 tsp salt
      • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
      • ¼ cup water

      To Temper-

      • 4 tbsp oil
      • 1 tsp mustard seeds
      • 1 tsp urad dal
      • 10 curry leaves

      Instructions

      Soaking the lentils

      • Wash the toor dal and chana dal and soak it along with dried red chilies for 30 to 45 minutes. You can soak up to 1.5 hours.

      Preparing the Usili | Grinding, Steaming and Crumbling the lentils

        Grinding the lentils

        • After 30 to 45 minutes, drain all the water from the lentils.
        • In a blender or mixer jar, add the drained lentils along with red chilies. Add 1.5 tsp salt (or to taste), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, and ⅛ tsp hing. Sprinkle water as required and grind it into a semi-smooth paste.
        • Note - The lentil texture is a personal preference. You can grind it smooth or slightly coarse as well. Also, do not add all water at once. Add as required. It should be a thick paste.

        Steaming the ground lentils-

        • Grease the idli plates with oil and add 1 cup of water to the idli cooker or pressure cooker.
        • Take a handful of the ground lentil mixture and place it in the idli plate. I got four big balls like below. You can also steam it in a greased plate.
        • Now place the idli plates inside the cooker. I used my pressure cooker to steam the lentils. In the case of a pressure cooker, do not add the weight. Steam it for 10-12 minutes.

        Crumbling the lentils-

        • Once the pressure is off, remove the cooked lentil cakes.
        • Crumble them nicely like below and set aside. That's it. The usili is ready.

        Steaming the veggie-

        • You can cook the vegetables in parallel. You can steam them in your preferred way either steam in Instant Pot or open-pot method or stove-top pressure cooker. I love to cook my dal for sambar, rice and second veggie for kootu in stackable pans in the stove-top pressure cooker. So I went with that. We cooked plantain-flower with toor dal, chayote squash for kootu, and rice all at one time like below.
        • Pressure cook the veggie by adding salt, ground turmeric, and ¼ cup of water for three whistles in a stove-top pressure cooker.
        • Once the pressure is off, set aside the vegetable.
        • Note - As we were cooking rice, dal, and chayote squash in stackable pans, we went with three whistles. We kept the banana flower pan at the top. But if you are cooking banana flower alone, cook it for one whistle or at the max two whistles but not more than that.
        • I haven't tried steaming banana flower in the Instant Pot. So I am not able to give precise timings. I will update this post as soon as I try it.

        Tempering and preparing the paruppu usili-

        • In a pan, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Let mustard seeds splutter and add the curry leaves and saute for 30 seconds.
        • Next, add the cooked banana flower and saute it for two minutes.
        • Now add the crumbled lentils and mix thoroughly. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and until light crust forms.
        • That's it. Yummy vazhaipoo paruppu usili is ready.
        • Serve hot with vathal kuzhambu or mor kuzhambu.

        Notes

        • Adjust the red chilies and salt as per your spice preference.
        • You can make the usili either with toor dal or chana dal, but of course, the taste will slightly differ.
        • Depending upon the veggies you use, the cooking time might differ. The veggies should not turn into a mush. That's the key.

        Nutrition

        Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 88mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 46mg

        I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

        Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
        For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel
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        Filed Under: Blogging Marathon, Dry Curries

        Reader Interactions

        Comments

        1. Ramanathan Srinivasan says

          July 03, 2021 at 7:36 am

          5 stars
          It will be more helpful if the servings are converted into grams and displayed for the nutritional information because the word servings gives a vague kind of measurement for the nutrition values given.

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            July 08, 2021 at 4:56 pm

            Sure. I will see what I can do.

            Reply
        2. Padmajha PJ says

          September 10, 2020 at 5:51 am

          5 stars
          I love paruppu usli with more kuzhambu! Even though time consuming this vazhapoo paruppu usli is absolutely delicious and I just remembered we are having one banana blossom in the fridge.Now that you have tempted me, its all set for tomorrows lunch!

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 10, 2020 at 1:35 pm

            Thanks a lot Padma. Glad your lunch is fixed. :-)

            Reply
        3. Renu says

          September 09, 2020 at 11:01 am

          5 stars
          we get banana flower here, but was not sure how to clean it, now that I have the method and procedure I am sure to try this recipe. Nice video of your renovated kitchen.

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 09, 2020 at 11:30 am

            Thanks much Renu.

            Reply
        4. Srivalli Jetti says

          September 01, 2020 at 9:29 pm

          I got so distracted with your kitchen video, really so well planned and looks stunning. Enjoy your cooking..:)

          this usili is so healthy and I know it tastes out of the world…Fantastic choice!

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 02, 2020 at 8:23 am

            oops sorry :-) Thanks a lot Valli.

            Reply
        5. Suma Gandlur says

          September 01, 2020 at 1:18 pm

          A big thumbs up to your kitchen and the video presentation. Loved some of the customized details. :)
          I love paruppu usili and prefer the steam method as well to prepare it. Learnt today that either banana flower or raw tomatoes could be used as well. .

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 01, 2020 at 3:36 pm

            Thanks a lot. MIL makes it with raw tomatoes and it’s absolutely amazing.

            Reply
        6. Vaishali says

          September 01, 2020 at 11:02 am

          I have never tried anything with Banana Flower . I don’t even know if it would be available here ! But yes I have made Beans Usili and everyone became great fan of it , so it’s made very regularly .
          The usili looks so well made , What other veggies can be used to make Usili ?

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 01, 2020 at 3:37 pm

            We can use cluster beans, raw tomatoes, cabbage, capsicum, and make usili. Even asparagus works well. :-)

            Reply
        7. Narmadha says

          September 01, 2020 at 10:34 am

          5 stars
          Never tried paruppu usili with vazhaipoo and this looks so delicious. Need some hot rice and mor kuzhambu to enjoy this.

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 01, 2020 at 3:38 pm

            Thanks, Narmadha. :-)

            Reply
        8. Harini Rupanagudi says

          September 01, 2020 at 10:23 am

          Very neatly explained and yummy recipe. I have never ventured into the banana flower routine as the process is very tedious. I hope someday I can try it out.

          Reply
          • Srividhya G says

            September 01, 2020 at 3:39 pm

            I can understand the pain. I buy once in a while and make it. It’s not a regular affair though.

            Reply

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