Asparagus - Parippu (Toor Dal ) Thoran

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

1/4 cup toor dal / thuvara parippu

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup grated coconut

2 garlic cloves

a pinch of cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 green chillies

1 sprig curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dal

salt to taste

1 tbsp coconut oil

Preparation:

1. Wash the dal and cook in a pan adding salt and enough water till cooked and keep it aside.
2. Chop the asparagus to thin rounds.
3. Crush grated coconut, green chillies, garlic cloves and cumin seeds together to a coarse mixture and keep it aside.
4. Heat coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal and fry till light brown.
5. Add curry leaves and chopped onion and saute well adding little salt till transparent.
6. Add chopped asparagus and turmeric powder and cook covered on low flame-medium flame for few minutes.
7. Add in the crushed coconut mixture, stir well and cook at low flame until the raw smell is gone.
8. Add cooked dal to this and mix well for few minutes until it is dry.....Remove from flame and serve with rice...