Parupu Usili (French Beans Lentil Crumble)

It is such a tedious task to chop a huge bag of green beans (aka french beans, string beans) sitting in the fridge, so I had been doing my best avoiding the procedure. However, out of nowhere, a sudden craving for parupu usili made me work my kitchen magic and out popped a simple, flavorful dish.

Ingredients
Chopped french beans 2 cups
Channa Dal 1/2 cup
Tuvar Dal 1 cup
Dry red chillies 4 pcs
Cumin

For seasoning
Urad dal 2 tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Dry red chillies 2 pcs
Mustard seeds 2 tsp
Curry leaves (a bunch)
Turmeric
Chilli powder
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Method
1. Boil the french beans for 5 minutes on medium flame until it becomes semi-soft. Drain in a colander.
2. Soak the channa dal, tuvar dal, dry red chillies and cumin for 40 minutes with just a sprinkle of water to soak the dal, but not make it runny.
3. Blend the dals without adding water to get a coarse consistency. If it is too dry, just add a sprinkle of water. Remember you want a crumble-like texture.
4. In a tava, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad and channa dal, curry leaves and dry red chillies.
5. If the dal has too much water, squeeze the water out and add it to the tava. Saute and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 10 minutes.
6. Squeeze the water out of the beans and add it to the crumble.
7.Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt to taste.
8. Let it roast on medium flame until the lentil and bean are cooked.

Serve piping hot with rice and ghee.