Misal pav is an iconic Indian Street Food. Serve this Spicy Indian Sprouts Curry for breakfast or brunch. Misal is served with buttered dinner roll called pav and myriad of different toppings. This misal recipe is vegan, gluten free and wholesome. Instructions also include how to make Instant Pot Misal.
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My family loves to cook Indian Street food at home especially on the weekends. Delicious snack like vada pav, Bread Upma, Kutchi Dabeli, Aloo Tikki and Pohe are our favorites along with a cup of Masala Chai.
This wholesome and nutritious Misal Recipe is Vegan and Gluten free. Sultry Indian spices and delectable toppings and garnishes make this recipe simply irresistible.
This recipe includes instructions to make Instant Pot Misal. You can also make it on the stove top. I often serve this misal pav as a one pot meal at parties and needless to say, it is superstar crowd pleaser.
A little background info
Misal Paav is a traditional heirloom dish. So every city in Maharashtra has it's unique and peculiar variations of tweaking the recipe. Street vendors across Maharashtra State in India, serve this popular recipe.
Growing up in Pune, there often was a friendly competition between the street vendors about whose Misal is the best. Puneri Misal is often served with Pohe (flattened rice). It's comparatively milder in taste. Mumbai or Bombay Misal combines all of the regional styles.
Kolhapuri Misal is bright red and the spiciest of all. It's not for the faint hearted for sure. The oil based gravy called "Tarri" is spiced with extra hot red chilies to bring out the spice. Nashik Misal often served along Papad (thin crisp lentil wafer) instead of bread.
You can serve Misal along with plain yogurt (curd) to tone down the spice level. Dahi Misal is mild compared to other zanzanit misal.
Misal Masala
Masala is Indian term for spice mix. While making Misal, most households use Goda Masala. It is a typical Maharashtrian Spice blend. Besides the typical garam masala spices, it includes roasted sesame seeds and dry coconut. This earthy dark spice blend is not as spicy hot. If you don't have Goda Masala easily available, use Garam Masala instead.
Misal Ingredients
The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card. I am listing some of the substitutions and suggestions below.
Beans or Sprouts : Typically Matki (Moth Beans) sprouts are used in making Misal. You can however, use Moong sprouts too. You can also combine moong and matki and make it Mixed Sprouts Misal. If you don't have sprouts easily available, soak the beans at least for couple hours in warm water.
Misal Masala Ingredients: The curry base is onion, tomatoes, minced ginger and garlic. The spice powders include Goda masala for the depth of the flavors. Red chilli powder, Turmeric powder and coriander-cumin powder are used in oil tampering along with mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Dry coconut adds earthy flavor and texture to the curry. Adding the whole peppercorns makes it spicy. You can use asafetida (hing) and fresh curry leaves if easily available.
Toppings and Garnishes : Misal is usually served with pav buns. You can use dinner rolls or bread slices. You dip the bread in the gravy and eat along the sprouts.
For garnishes, we top the serving bowls with chopped onion and cilantro or coriander leaves, lemon wedges and jalapeno slices (optional). Crunchy crispy farsan and sev is absolute must for the authentic misal. Do NOT skip the farsan /sev topping !
How to Make Misal Pav Recipe
Wash and soak the Matki (moth) beans overnight in water. Next day, drain the water, cover the soaked beans with paper towel and leave it for at least a day to sprout.
To Make Misal Masala
- Turn Instantpot on sauté high, add oil. Once oil is heated, add onions and sprinkle some salt over them. Sauté the onions until they are brown and translucent.
- Add ginger garlic paste, whole peppercorn , dry coconut, goda masala , coriander and cumin powder and sauté for 2 more mins. Add the tomatoes and cook until it softens. CANCEL the sauté and let it cool down. Grind the mixture into a smooth paste adding little water as needed.
How to make the curry ( usal ) and gravy:
- Turn on Instant Pot with Sauté high mode again. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in with the cumin and mustard seeds and sauté for about a minute. Add hing and curry leaves if using.
- Now add the ground masala paste, red chili powder, turmeric, salt and sauté it well. Cook for a few minutes until the oil starts to leave the side of the pan. It is important to sauté the masala well to ensure the maximum flavor in the recipe.
- Add sprouted beans and mix well. Add water. Mix well. Cancel the sauté mode. Close the lid and put it on Manual 0 min, high, vent closed. After it’s done ( it builds pressures and that’s enough to cook the beans perfect without mushy. ) wait for natural pressure release NPR to open the lid.
How to Serve
- Now the misal is ready. Serve it in layers in a bowl. Start off by adding the sprouted beans curry. Add the liquid gravy on top. Garnish it with chopped onions and cilantro, lime wedges and some farsan / sev ( spicy mix) and serve hot.
Recipe FAQs
Misal is served with "kat" or liquid ground masala to make it super spicy. To make it, just double the amount of ingredients in masala.
Add extra 1 tablespoon of dry coconut while oil tampering. Keep aside the half of the cooked ground masala and add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of red chili powder to it . Serve the liquid masala in separate bowl with toasted pav ( dinner rolls)
Misal is essentially a Sprouted Lentil Curry. It is also called "USAL". You make it with ample liquid gravy called "Kat ,Tarri or Rassa". This curry is served with extra gravy and myriad of toppings along with a toasted butter bun called Pav (paav).
Masala is Indian term for spice mix. While making Misal, most households use Goda Masala. It is a typical Maharashtrian Spice blend. Besides the typical garam masala spices, it includes roasted sesame seeds and dry coconut. This earthy dark spice blend is not as spicy hot. If you don't have Goda Masala easily available, use Garam Masala instead.
You can also serve this sprouts curry recipe as a main meal curry like Chana masala, Rajma Masala or Dal Makhani for dinner along with steamed rice or roti. Traditionally Misal is served with Pav (dinner rolls)
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📖 Recipe
Misal Pav Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Sprouted Matki Moth Beans
- 4 cups water
For the Masala Paste :
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 large tomatoes -chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 5-10 whole peppercorn
- 1 Teaspoon Goda Masala or Garam Masala
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin -Coriander Powder
- 1 tablespoon dry coconut
- Salt Per Taste
For Tadka / Oil Tampering :
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black Mustard Seeds
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Chili Powder - adjust per taste
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- Pinch of Asafoetida - optional
- 5-10 fresh curry leaves - optional
For Garnish and Serving :
- 8-10 Dinner Rolls Pav
- 1 large onion -finely chopped
- ½ cilantro leaves- chopped
- 2 lemons - cut into quarters
- 1 cup Farsan / Sev
Instructions
How To Make Instant Pot Misal
- To Make Misal MasalaTurn Instantpot on sauté high, add oil. Once oil is heated, add onions and sprinkle some salt over them. Sauté the onions until they are brown and translucent.
- Add ginger garlic paste, whole peppercorn , dry coconut, goda masala , coriander and cumin powder and sauté for 2 more mins. Add the tomatoes and cook until it softens. CANCEL the sauté and let it cool down. Grind the mixture into a smooth paste adding little water as needed.
To make the curry ( usal ) and gravy:
- Turn on Instant Pot with Sauté high mode again. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in with the cumin and mustard seeds and sauté for about a minute. Add hing and curry leaves if using. Now add the ground masala paste, red chili powder, turmeric, salt and sauté it well. Cook for a few minutes until the oil starts to leave the side of the pan. It is important to sauté the masala well to ensure the maximum flavor in the recipe.
- Add sprouted beans and mix well. Add water. Mix well. Cancel the sauté mode. Close the lid and put it on Manual 0 min, high, vent closed. After it's done ( it builds pressures and that's enough to cook the beans perfect without mushy. ) wait for natural pressure release NPR to open the lid.
To Serve Misal Pav :
- Now the misal is ready. Serve it in layers in a bowl. Start off by adding the sprouted beans curry. Add the liquid gravy on top. Garnish it with chopped onions and cilantro, lime wedges and some farsan / sev ( spicy mix) and serve hot.
TO MAKE THIS RECIPE USING STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER :
- Follow the same instructions for the pressure cooker using low to medium heat. Sauté everything and make Masala paste. Once you do the oil tadka and mix everything well, close the lid and let it build the pressure.
- Wait for 2 Whistles on cooker. Turn off the heat. Open the lid when all the pressure is released. Mix the curry well. All the serving instructions remain the same.
Notes
Nutrition
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Vaibhav
Luv it the most 🙂 its like king for my stomach no matter if i m full and no space to eat anything but there is still some space left if its misal pav 🙂