Carrots are cooked with a flavorful lentil and spice mixture. With no onion or garlic, this simple dry curry is perfect to serve with any South Indian meal. Serve with rice, dal and/ or yogurt for a wholesome lunch or dinner.
About the recipe
Being a vegetarian, protein intake is something that I’m watchful about. So, when a dish incorporates a protein and a vegetable, I’m super happy. This carrot patoli is one such amazing and easy to make dish. Paruppu usili is a popular South Indian side dish. There are quite a few versions of this dish and here I am sharing Andhra version aka patoli. This is basically a dry side curry with veggies and lentil mixture. The lentil mixture aka usili consists of soaked dal, whole spices and coconut. Traditionally, the lentil mixture is steamed to get the dry texture. But this version is a quick and easy one that skips that step. Cooking the lentil mixture in oil until dry also does the trick. It needs just a little bit more oil to cook but it’s not a lot. Serve this delicious carrot usili with rice, sambar and/ or yogurt for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below. Here are the ingredients you need to make this paruppu usili recipe with carrot:
Carrots ~ you can also use green beans, cabbage, cluster beans, bell pepper etc. instead of carrots. Mustard & cumin seeds. Curry leaves Turmeric & salt. To make the the lentil mixture or paruppu usili part of the dish: Chana dal Coriander & cumin seeds Fresh or dry grated coconut Green chilies, ginger and cilantro
Instructions
For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below. Here is how to make this carrot paruppu usli recipe:
Make Lentil Masala
In a small bowl, soak chana dal in water for at least 1 hour. Drain the water and transfer the soaked dal to the blender. Add cumin & coriander seeds, green chilies, ginger and coconut. Blend into a coarse mixture adding very little water.
Make Carrot Usli
Precook the carrot, if desired. You can either steam or microwave chopped carrot until tender and cooked through. Heat oil in a medium size sauté pan on medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds, dry red chili, asafetida and curry leaves. Cook till the seeds start to splutter. Next add the ground lentil mixture and mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, until the moisture in the mixture cooks out and it becomes slightly dry. Lower the heat and add the cooked carrot and salt. Cover and cook for all the flavors to mingle. Serve hot with steamed rice and dal.
Expert Tips
Instead of using carrots to make patoli, you can use other veggies like green beans, cabbage, cluster beans, bell pepper and so on. I recommend precooking the veggies because this expedites cooking process and also gives a nice texture to the usli. You can also steam the lentil mixture instead of cooking in oil. For that, transfer the ground lentil mixture to an oiled plate and steam for 8~10 minutes. Once cool, crumble the mixture and add to the pan in Step 3 of the recipe. Since it is already cooked, it does not need to be cooked for as long. Store leftover carrot patoli in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make sure to warm before serving.
You might also like
Here are some vegetarian side dishes to serve along with patoli: I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don’t forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Recipe Card
