Misal Pav (Misal Recipe)
Misal Pav is a popular Maharashtrian street food made with usal, a spicy curry prepared from moth bean sprouts. The curry is topped with onions, tomatoes, farsan, lemon juice, and coriander leaves. It is served with soft pav, also known as Indian dinner rolls. This hearty dish is filling and commonly eaten for breakfast or brunch.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 cup moth bean sprouts
- 2 potatoes (small to medium - cubed in 1.5 to 2 inches)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cup water (or as required)
- 1 onion (medium to large - finely chopped)
- 1 to 2 green chilies (- chopped)
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (or 3 to 4 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger- crushed in a mortar-pestle to a fine paste)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoon Goda Masala (or kala masala)
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1.5 tsp tamarind (- soaked in 1/3 or 1/2 cup water or 2 to 3 kokums)
- 3/4 to 1 cup water (or add as required)
- 3 tbsp oil
- salt (as required)
- 8 to 10 pav ((bread rolls) or bread slices as required)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes (optional)
- 1/2 to 1 cup thick sev or farsan ((chiwda), fried savory snack mixture)
- 1 lemon or lime (quartered or diced)
- 1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1/2 cup curd (or yogurt, beaten, optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the moth bean sprouts first in running water a couple of times.
- 2
Drain the water and then add the sprouts, cubed potatoes turmeric powder and salt in a pressure cooker.
- 3
Add water and mix well. If using mixed bean sprouts, you will have to add more water. Note that the water should be covering the matki sprouts about 2 inches above. The quantity of water will vary with the depth and length of the pressure cooker, so add more water if needed.
- 4
Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles. You can also cook the bean sprouts in a pan or Instant pot adding required amount of water.
- 5
In a small bowl soak the tamarind in ⅓ or ½ cup warm water for 25 to 30 minutes.
- 6
Squeeze the tamarind and extract the pulp. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.
- 7
Heat oil in another pan. Keep the heat to low and then crackle the mustard seeds.
- 8
Then add the cumin and saute for some seconds till the cumin gets golden.
- 9
Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent stirring often.
- 10
Then add the curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and green chilies
- 11
Stir and saute for few seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- 12
Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and goda masala.
- 13
Stir and then add the tamarind pulp. Saute till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away.
- 14
Drain the water using a strainer from the pressure cooked matki sprouts and potatoes and add them to the pan.
- 15
Stir and add ¾ to 1 cup water or more water if required depending upon the consistency you want in the usal.
- 16
Season with salt and simmer the usal for 8 to 10 minutes on a low heat with occasional stirrings.
- 17
Lastly garnish with coriander leaves. if you want you can also add sugar or jaggery for some sweetness
- 18
Whilst the usal is simmering, you can prep the toppings for the misal pav.
- 19
Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. Keep aside.
- 20
Take the steaming usal in 3 to 4 individual serving bowls or plates.
- 21
In each bowl of usal, first add the chopped onions and tomatoes.
- 22
Then top usal with chopped coriander leaves. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice. Then top it with farsan or chiwda.
- 23
Serve the misal bowl in a plate with pav buns and a side of chopped lemons, finely chopped onions and farsan/sev/chiwda. Enjoy the misal pav hot as soon as it is prepared.