I love all vegetables, but broccoli is really special to me.
Now I know there are people out there who run away from this healthful veggie, but think about it for a moment: prepared well, broccoli can be absolutely delicious.
One very simple broccoli recipe I sometimes make for quick weeknight dinners is to toss around some chopped garlic in olive oil, and then add broccoli florets to it.
A few stirs to tenderize the broccoli to the point where it still has a slight crunch, some salt, and you’ve got a delicious plate of goodness that’s heaven for the tastebuds and the soul, not to mention your health.
Now for the broccoli paruppu usili. It is easy, quick, and tremendously nutritious, and can be made with numerous veggies, although the most traditional version appears to be made with broad beans or green beans.
Marrying this bland vegetable with the delicious lentil-masala mix that is the basis of paruppu usili is a match made in heaven. So out I set to do just that, and the results were so good, I couldn’t wait to share them with you.
So here’s my Broccoli Paruppu Usili- delicious, healthy and deeply satisfying. I don’t steam the lentil paste first- I find that stirring it for a few minutes in the 1 tablespoon of oil one would anyway use for this dish is more than enough to cook the ground lentils.
I added some garlic to the lentil paste, because I love garlic and can eat it in almost anything, and also because I find it always really enhances broccoli which tends to be a blank slate, tastewise.
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Broccoli Paruppu Usili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon toor dal
- 2 tablespoon chana dal
- 2 dry red chilies
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 pinch asafetida (hing)
- 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon urad dal
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the tuvar dal and the chana dal in water for about two hours. Drain, and using as little water as possible, grind to a paste along with the chiles, garlic and hing and salt to taste.
- Steam or microwave 1 head of broccoli, separated into small florets, until it is quite tender but not falling apart or mushy.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and when they sputter, add 1 tablespoon udad dal.
- Add the lentil paste to it and stir fry around 10 minutes until the lentils darken in hue and no longer taste raw.
- Add the broccoli and mix it in with a few stirs.
- Check the salt and remove from the heat. Serve hot.
Parvathy (Raji)
came to your blog searching for some vegan recipes..broccoli paruppu usili recipe is very interesting..i will try this out sometime soon..thanks for sharing.
Veganosaurus
Being a chronic experimenter myself, I love the results of other cooks' "why not?"s.
This sounds like a splendid combination! I will definitely be trying it soon.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
kitchen queen
hi I have made parupu usli with the usual vegetables but brocolli paruppu usli is new to me. I shall try it since it looks quite interesting. You can visit my blog view my recipes and give ur comments
Uma
looks delicious. nice recipe.
arundati
that's such an adorable pic of pubm...and the usili looks good too...
Meera
Looks delicious. I love paruppu usili but never tried with broccoli. Will try soon. must be tasting great.
sandhya
looks delicious.... i dont like to eat broccoli in salads, i never tried cooking with these... will surely try this one and let u know...
Vaishali
TBC 🙂 They do go wonderfully together, don't they?
Suganya, Thanks.
Chocolatecoveredvegan, thanks. Pubm is quite the queen around our home!
IRA, Thanks, and welcome- it's great to hear from another vegan. I am so happy the adai turned out well for you- it is one of my favorites.
Ira
Hi Vaishali,
Have been a lurker on your blog and thought it was time to introduce myself since I tried your adai recipe and it turned out wonderful. Thanks for sharing it. Will try the broccoli paruppu as well.
I am a vegan too so your blog is very inspirational. Keep it up 🙂
ChocolateCoveredVegan
Haha, I love the title... and the kitty!
Suganya
I'va made broccoli sambar, but not usili. Wishing your babies good health.
TBC
That sounds wonderful, Vaishali.
My broccoli is usually swimming in garlic sauce.:-(
I too love garlic and cannot get enough of it.
Vaishali
Shyam, Welcome! I do hope you try the garlic- it works really well with the broccoli.
Nupur, Thanks- they seem to be doing a bit better now. It feels awful to see these otherwise happy creatures so down and out.
Lavi- Thanks - do hope you try the broccoli version.
Richa- I've never tried steaming the paste before, but I will the next time I make it to see if I can tell the difference.
Richa
d-lish! broccoli usili does taste so good & looks nice with that bright green color. i steam the lentil paste & then add it.
Lavi
Vaishali..Broccoli usili seams to be a nice idea..your babies should recover soon..
Nupur
That looks delicious, Vaishali. I so agree with you, broccoli cooked well is ever so tasty.
Sorry to hear of the infections 🙁 Here's hoping that your babies get all better very soon!
shyam
Hi Vaishali, broccoli paruppu usili I'm familiar with... but adding garlic to the usili? THAT's new! Going to try it verrry soon! 🙂