Misal Pav Recipe | Maharasthrian Misal Pav

I have mentioned about our love for Maharasthrian food in a few of my posts earlier.I was never aware of the vast variety of Maharasthrian recipes until I shifted to Mumbai.Over a period of time I learnt a few recipes from friends which I have made several times now.Among those recipes,Misal Pav is one of them, which we relish thoroughly. I prepare this quite regularly at home for either dinner or breakfast.I am sure even if you are tasting it for the first time you will definitely like it.We like Pav based recipes like Pav bhaji, Bhurji Pav, Vada(or Tikki) Pav, Masala Pav, Misal Pav as I feel half the work is reduced by using the Pav as the base.

Misal Pav is prepared with few variations in different places in Maharashtra like Puneri Misal, Kolhapuri Misal etc.Though I have not tasted all the versions but I would love to try them when I visit those places.There are also a few variations in the way they serve misal pav, while a few serve Usal and Kat(Tarri), a spicy gravy separately with pav others serve a gravy kind of misal and top it with farsan and other ingredients.Both the variants taste nice but I love the version where we serve the spicy gravy called 'Kat(Tarri)' as I love to dunk pav in that spicy broth and eat the misal.

'Misal' is a spicy sprouted bean gravy topped with various farsaan (namkeen), chopped onions and coriander and can be served as it is or with Pav.'Usal' is moth bean curry and when it is made in a slight gravy form and garnished with farsaan and onions it is called 'Misal'.I like to add a layer of Poha chivda and beaten curd along with farsan and onions to make it more tasty,though it is optional.Few versions of Misal has a layer of potato curry but I do not add potato curry as I already add potatoes in my Misal as I feel its an overdose of potatoes.

Misal is supposed to be hot, fiery and slightly oily but one can prepare it as per their personal preferences.I make it bit healthy with less spices and oil and also I serve it with wheat pav instead of the regular pav.I usually prepare it for dinner so that we can have the same for breakfast.The process is a bit lengthy but not difficult to prepare.As it makes a complete meal, its worth the effort.

In Mumbai, a few joints serve Misal with pav while the others serve pav only when requested. Usually, they do not roast pav with butter but I love to roast it with a bit of butter to make it a little moist and soft.

Check out other Maharasthrian recipes in my blog.

• Masale Bhat | Tendli Bhat | Ivy Gourd Rice
• Sabudana Khichdi - Maharastrian style
• Sabudana Thalipeeth 
• Sago Tikkis
• Bharli Vangi - Maharasthrian style stuffed Eggplants

Maharasthrian Misal Pav Recipe:

Serves:2-3

Prep time:20 mins | Cooking time:30 mins | Total time:50 mins

Cuisine:Maharasthrian-India | Category:Breakfast/Snacks- Light meal

Ingredients:

6 Pav Buns

Butter,to roast Pav

for Matki Usal:

1 1/2 cups Matki(Moth beans) Sprouts,steamed

1 large Potato,boiled and cubed

1 Onion,finely chopped

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

2 tbsp Spice paste(prepared as below)

1 tsp Kala Masala or Goda Masala or 1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

5-6 Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

a pinch of Asafoetida

Salt to taste

1.5 tbsp Oil

for Kat/Tarri(thin Gravy):

1 large Onion,chopped

2 Tomatoes,chopped

1/2 cup grated Dry coconut

4-5 Garlic cloves

3/4" Ginger,chopped

1 tsp Red chili powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Kala Masala or Goda Masala or 1/2 tsp Garam masala

1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

1/2 tsp Sugar

2-3 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

to serve:

1 cup Mixed Farsan

1/2 cup Kanda Poha or Poha Chivda

1/4 cup beaten Curd

2 Onions,finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves

1 Lemon,cut into small wedges

Method:

to prepare Kat/Tarri(thin Gravy):

• Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a pan and add chopped onions and fry until they turn slight golden brown in color.
• Add garlic and chopped ginger and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add grated dry coconut and fry for 3-4 mins until it turns brown,do not burn it.
• Add chopped tomatoes,coriander and cumin powder and fry until the tomatoes get mashed and form a pulpy mixture.It takes 4-5 mins.Cool the mixture completely and grind to a very smooth paste.Reserve 2 tbsp of this mixture to prepare Usal.
• Heat 2 tbsp Oil in a kadai and add ground paste and fry again for 2-3 mins and add 3/4 tsp red chili powder,  turmeric powder, kala(or goda masala) and salt and fry for another 3-4 mins.
• Add 2.5 cups - 3 cups of water and boil it for 8-10 mins until the oil starts floating on top.
• Add chopped coriander leaves at the end.
• In a separate small pan heat 1 tsp oil and add 1/4 tsp Red chili powder and sugar and remove it from heat immediately and add this to the kat/tarri gravy,do not mix it.This step is optional but gives the authentic look of oily layer on top.

to prepare Matki Usal:

• to sprout Matki - Wash and soak matki(moth beans) for 6-7 hrs in water and wash it once with fresh water and drain the excess water and tie in a muslin cloth or use a sprout maker to make sprouts.It will take 12-15 hrs.
• Steam the matki sprouts in cooker with a pinch of salt for 8-10 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds and add asafoetida and curry leaves and fry for half a minute.
• Add chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes away.
• Add 2 tbsp of spice paste as prepared above and saute it for 2 mins.You can skip this step too.
• Add steamed moth beans and boiled and cubed potatoes and fry for 2 mins.
• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, goda(or kala) masala and salt and fry it for another couple of mins.
• Add 1/4 cup water and cover it and cook for 7-8 mins.The Usal should not be watery but should have slight gravy.

to roast pav:

• Slice the pav buns and roast it slightly on tawa by applying butter or just warm it with out butter.It is your choice to use butter or not but I recommend it.Do not roast buns for long,just warm them and make sure they stay soft.

to assemble Misal Pav:

• layer-1 : In a deep plate add 2 ladles of Matki Usal and pour 1 ladle of Tarri/Kat(gravy) on top it.

• layer-2 : Now add either 3-4 tbsp of Kanda Poha or Poha chivda on top of it evenly and top it with 2-3 tbsp of beaten curds.The addition of poha or chivda and curd is optional,you can skip it if you want but I love it this way.I am lazy to prepare poha with it so I usually add chivda to it.
• layer-3 : Add a layer of finely chopped onions liberally and coriander leaves.You can squeeze lemon now or serve it in the plate.But do not miss to use the lemon in any case.

• layer-4:  Add a layer of mixed farsan according to your wish.You can add either mixed namkeen or mixture or ghatiya whatever is available with you.But do not skip this layer.

Serve it hot with roasted buns,a bowl of Kat/Tarri and lemon wedges.

how to eat misal pav - One needs to dip the pav in Kat/Tarri and eat along with the mixed misal. Do not forget to squeeze the lemon into misal and mix nicely.

Notes :

1. Usal can be prepared with mixed sprouts or moong sprouts or sprouted Yellow peas.You need to cook them according to their cooking time.
2. If you want to make misal quick you can cook everything in the pressure cooker.Follow the same process of making usal in cooker and add ground masala paste(which we prepared for tarri) and add all other masalas and pour enough water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
3. Matki Usal can be served with Roti and Bhakri too.
4. You can serve assembled misal as it is as a chaat with out pav and tarri(kat).
5. Maharasthrian Kala masala is highly recommended to prepare misal pav,if you do not get it add goda masala or garam masala in the recipe.
6. Misal is supposed to be spicy ,you can make it less or more spicy according to your requirements.So adjust the masalas accordingly.

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