Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin. Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.Thin asparagus does not require peeling. Asparagus with thick stems should be peeled because the stems are usually tough and stringy. Remove the tough outer skin of the bottom portion of the stem (not the tips) with a vegetable peeler. Wash asparagus under cold water to remove any sand or soil residues. It is best to cook asparagus whole. Most healthy way to cook asparagus is to cook it as a whole and then chop it into pieces. We can add chopped asparagus to our favourite salad. We can toss cooked pasta with asparagus with our favourtite pasta spices and olives. We can also saute asparagus with garlic, mushrooms and tofu for a complete meal.
I have made Asparagus Paruppu Usili this time. The method to make usili is same as we do for cluster beans or beans or plantain flower. Just here, we are going to toss the cooked asparagus pieces and we are done with a yummy and healthy side dish for our rice. We can relish with chapatis also.
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| Asparagus Paruppu Usili Recipe |
Preparation and Yield:
| Preparation time | Overnight or 2 hours |
| Cooking Time | 35 mins |
| Servings | 4 |
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| Asparagus Paruppu Usili Recipe |
Ingredients:
| Asparagus | 1 Bunch / 400gms |
| Thur dal | 1/4 Cup* |
| Channa dal | 1/4 Cup |
| Red Chilli | 2 |
| Hing | a Pinch |
| Salt | To Taste |
| Turmeric | a Pinch |
* 1 Cup = 250ml
For Seasoning:
| Oil | 1 teaspoon |
| Mustard Seeds | 1 teaspoon |
| Split Urid dal | 1 teaspoon |
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| Asparagus Paruppu Usili Recipe |
Method:
- Soak the Dal's in water over night or in hot boiling water for at least 2 hours.
- Its better to use tender Asparagus. Tender Asparagus cooks faster and tastes great. If the asparagus is not tender, then peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Tender ones doesn't need peeling. Cut 1 inch piece of the bottom and discard. Chop the rest of the stem into fine pieces
- Take the finely chopped asparagus in a pan and add water to soak them. Also add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt and keep it on flame and allow it to cook till they are tender and soft. Usually cooking asparagus takes only 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, if you have excess water drain it and we can add that water to our kuzhambu or rasam which we prepare that day. Or, we can also add a pinch of salt and pepper powder to the cooked and drained and asparagus water and drink it like a soup. Do not discard the water as it is very nutrition rich. Now our cooked asparagus is ready. Lets prepare the usili now..
- Rinse the Dal's and strain the water and grind it in mixer once along with red chilli, hing and salt without adding water
- The ground mixture should be coarse. Heat the oil in the pan, and add the ground paste and keep the flame in low
- Allow the ground paste to cook in oil and it will crumble down into smaller pieces. Finally add the cooked Asparagus and mix well with the crumbled dals.
- Give a good mix and keep in flame for a minute and then switch off the flame
- Yummy and healthy Asparagus Paruppu Usili is now ready to serve!!!
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| Asparagus Paruppu Usili Recipe |