Misal Pav – Maharashtrian misal recipe

Misal Pav (Spicy Misal) is a spicy dish with lots of texture, flavour and nutrition. This is a popular street food often served as a snack or as a full meal. This dish is a good mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, all essential for our good health. This recipe is also known as Kolhapuri Misal Pav.

Misal pav (Spicy Misal) or Kolhapuri Misal Pav or Maharashtrian Misal is perfect for making during get together or at large gatherings. It comes together quite quickly and can be made well in advance. There is no requirement for last-minute cooking also. Your guests can help themselves by assembling their bowl of misal, which is generally a great attraction as they can customize it to their taste.

An authentic Misal Pav recipe has five components

1. Cooked sprouted lentils known as Usal.
2. Served with a spicy gravy or Misal, also known as Kat.
3. Crunchy mixture topping often known as Farsan / Pharsan.
4. Raw chopped vegetables like onions, tomatoes, fresh coriander, lemon wedge.
5. Super soft buns known as Ladi pav.

Making this dish is very interesting as it is made following a couple of steps in a particular order. The preparation starts at least 2 days ahead.

How to make Misal Pav

• For the sprout sabji, you start by soaking the lentils (moth and moong) for 6 to 8 hours. Then lentils are kept for sprouting for at least 24 hours.
• Now the real cooking starts by making a simple sabji of the sprouted lentils.
• I have made my own Misal masala for making the gravy. You can either roast spices to make your own masala or use store-bought spice mix.
• Making the gravy (misal) takes a bit of time as the paste has to be sautéed on low heat and then the gravy is boiled for 15 to 20 minutes to get the flavour and perfect colour.
• For the batata bhaji, you can cook the boiled potato with salt, or haldi or just use boiled chopped potatoes.
• Chop the raw vegetables finely.
• Toast the pav on a hot griddle with a little butter or serve as it is.
• Top with a crunchy mixture of your choice.

Make this for a tea-time snack or serve for your next chaat party! This Misal (Rasa/ Spicy gravy) is good to be served with Poha (aval / flattened rice) also. Misal Poha is very popular in the Nagpur region. If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #theblissofcooking on Instagram. You may like to try our other Maharashtra recipes like Spring Onion Besan Pithla (Kandayachya Paticha), Vada Pav and Ankurit Moth Ki Sabzi (Sprouted Legume).    

Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients for Misal Pav

For the Usal
2 cups moth and moong sprouts
1 cup boiled mix of yellow matar and lobia (optional)
1 tablespoon curry leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon jeera (cumin)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon curry leaves
Pinch of turmeric
1 teaspoon Kolhapuri masala/garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped coriander

For the masala paste (vatan)
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin (jeera)
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon coriander seeds (dhania)
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
1 star anise
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
10 garlic cloves
4 Kashmiri red chilli’s
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 whole onions roasted

For the Gravy (Misal/Rassa/ Kat)
2 to 3 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

For the potato Bhaji
2 potatoes boiled and chopped
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 springs of curry leaves
1 green chilli slit into 2
Pinch of haldi
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon coriander

For serving
2 tomatoes chopped
2 onions chopped
1 tablespoon coriander chopped
Ladi Pav (super soft buns)
Farsan (crunchy mixture topping)
Lemon wedges

Directions for Maharashtrian Misal Pav

The Usal

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pressure cooker, add jeera and let it crackle.
• Add bay leaves and asafoetida.
• Add lentils, turmeric, salt and stir for a minute.
• Add 1 cup of water and boil till quick 2 pressures. Switch off the heat. When the steam is released drain excess water if any from the lentils.
• Now add Kolhapuri masala / garam masala and cook for a minute. Swtich off the heat and add coriander to the lentils. Set aside.

For the masala paste (vatan)

• Heat oil in a pan; add all the ingredients till Kashmiri red chilli’s (under masala paste / watan ingredients section.
• Saute on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add sesame and poppy seeds and sauté for 1 minute on low heat.
• Switch off the heat; add coconut, hing, stir and remove in a bowl. Let the masala mix to cool.
• Roast the onion on a gas flame till the outer skin is charred. Cool and peel and cut into four pieces.
• Now add onions and the roasted masala’s to a grinder jar, add little water and make a fine paste.

For the Misal Gravy (Rassa/ Kat)

• Heat oil in a pot, add onions and sauté for a minute.
• Add ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, and turmeric and sauté for a few seconds.
• Add the prepared paste, and salt and sauté till oil starts to leave on the sides.
• Add 4 cups hot water and if you have water from the lentils.  Boil on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Add tamarind paste if using. Adjust the seasoning.
• Add chopped coriander.

For the Potato Bhaji

• Heat oil in a pan; add mustard, turmeric, salt, potatoes and coriander.
• Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Switch off the heat.

How to serve

• In a bowl add 1 tablespoon each of potatoes and tomatoes. Then add 2 tablespoons of the cooked lentils; top with some farsan, onions and coriander. In a bowl pour the gravy (kat, misal).
• Now place the Ladi Pav on a serving plate, bowl of gravy, lentils and a lemon wedge.
• Serve.