Cauliflower Paruppu Usili

I cook most the vegetable Cauliflower as a side dish for chapattis. But today thought why not to make paruppu usili from this. A small twist from the regular beans/kothavaranga paruppu usili.

This is how i made my Cauliflower Paruppu Usili.

Ingredients for Cauliflower Paruppu Usili:

• Bengal Gram Dal - 1/2 cup
• Red Chili - 2 (adjust according to taste)
• Asafoetida - a small pinch
• Salt - according to taste
• Cauliflower - 1 medium sized flower
• 1/2 tsp split Black Gram Dal
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Method for making Cauliflower Paruppu Usili:

Step 1: Soak the Bengal Gram in water for at least 2 hrs.

Step 2: In a blender add the soaked 1/2 cup Bengal Gram Dal, Salt, Asafoetida , 2 Red Chili and Grind them coarsely by adding as minimum water as possible.

Step 3: Remove the grounded paste to a steaming vessel and steam them for about 20 minutes. Once steamed keep it aside to cool.

Step 4: Wash and separate the cauliflower to floret's and cut them to small tit bits and cook them( i microwaved it for 6 minutes).

Step 5: Drain the excess water from the cooked cauliflower.

Step 6: Scramble the steamed Usili paste.

Step 7: Meantime heat a Pan and add 1 tablespoon of cooking Oil and then add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds when it splutters add a red chili, 1/2 teaspoon split Black Gram Dal , curry leaves (optional)and the cooked cauliflower and fry for 5 minutes, add salt for the cauliflower and then add the scrambled usili paste.

Step 8: Adjust salt to taste and keep stirring the cauliflowers usili for approx 5 minutes. Remove from the Pan to a serving dish.

I served Cauliflower Paruppu Usili as sidedish with Onion Pulli Kozhambu for rice .