Maharashtra Special – Spicy Misal Pav

Name: Maharashtra Special – Spicy Misal Pav
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1.5 cup Mixed Dal (Matki, Moong, Black Chana), soaked & sprouted; 1 tsp Salt, (or to taste); 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder,; 500 ml Water,; 3 Onion (medium), roughly cut; 3 Tomato (medium), roughly cut; 1-Inch Piece Ginger, roughly cut; 6 to 8 clove Garlic, peeled; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil,; 1/4 cup Coconut, fresh or desiccated; 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds,; 4-6 Dry Red Chilli, stem removed; 4 tbsp Cooking Oil,; 1/2 tsp Asafoetida Powder (Hing),; 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds,; 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds,; A Few Curry Leaves,; Salt, to taste; 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder, (or to taste); 1 tsp Garam Masala,; 1 tsp Amchoor,; 1 tsp Jaggery,; 500 ml Water,; Pav or Dinner Rolls, as needed; Farsan, as needed; Chopped Onion, as needed; Lemon Wedges, as needed; Coriander Leaves, for garnish, chopped

Spicy Rassa (curry) topped with the flavors of Farsan (Namkeen) and the sweet crunch of onions, the hint of lemon, and the freshness of coriander – this is one of the most loved and popular street food in Maharashtra.

Misal Pav has misal which is cooked sprouted lentils or dals (mostly matki, green moong, black chana) and it is served with pillowy soft pav (bread or dinner rolls). It is served hot with plenty of sides – Farsan, Onion, Lemon Wedges, Papad, and Buttermilk. It can be served over breakfast, as evening snacks, or as a full meal. This recipe has my heart. You must try it next time you have pav at home.

Story Time

I never thought that I will make this tasty Maharashtrian recipe at home. Honestly, when we were in Pune, Maharashtra, we did not like this dish at all. I have seen my office colleagues going crazy over this. They used to bring it for lunch and even had it on every single road trip. It never made me excited since it used to have a layer of oil on top (they call it Rassa) and it didn’t suit my taste buds too.

But, on our trip to Konkan, Maharashtra, we had this dish and it was mind-blowing. It was so tasty, flavorful, and spicy and with no excessive layer of oil on top. It instantly became our favorite that in our entire road trip we only had two dishes – vada pav for breakfast and misal pav for lunch. Then one day, I decided to make it at home. I was afraid that I won’t get that same flavor but to my surprise, I nailed it. Jatin loved it so much and it made me very happy. And you know what, when we were leaving Pune, this is the last meal that we had there. This meal slowly made its space in our hearts. You also give it a try.

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Preparations for Misal Pav

Misal Pav is a recipe that needs to be planned ahead. Below are the components and preparations for this delicious recipe:

Sprouted Lentils: Misal is usually made with moth beans or matki dal. But I like to mix a couple of different dals – matki, green moong, and black chana. The lentils need to be soaked for 6 to 8 hours or overnight and then sprouted for at least 2 days. These lentils are then cooked for 5 minutes in a pressure cooker. Do not overcook and make them mushy. We need them to be soft and well cooked but not mushy.
Rassa: Misal consists of cooked dal and Rassa (spicy curry). This curry is made of onion and tomato paste with a lot of different spices and aromas like coconut, coriander, asafoetida, etc. The main thing to take care of here is to let the masala cook well till it starts to release oil. Otherwise, Rassa doesn’t come out that good.
Pav: Misal pav is served hot with some fresh and soft pav (bread or dinner rolls). It tastes best with homemade pillowy soft Ladi pav. You must try baking Ladi pav at home.
Farsan: Misal Pav is incomplete without it. It adds a nice crunch in Misal. Farsan is a namkeen that is sold with this name itself in Maharashtra. But basically, it is a namkeen with some sev, corn flakes, peanuts, peas, dals, etc. If you can’t find the Farsan, you can even use any other mixture namkeen or sev.
Chopped Onions and Lemon Wedges: Chopped raw onions are also topped over misal. It tastes amazing. Also, we add a little bit of lemon. It balances the spiciness and adds a nice lemony tanginess to it.

Easy Swaps

Lentils: Use any sprouted lentil – matki (moth beans), green moong, black chana, or a combination of these. You can mix these lentils in any ratio you like.

Is this recipe vegan?

Yes. This recipe is vegan and made with plant-based ingredients.

More vegan recipes to try – Seviyan, Vegan Dum Biryani, Thai Basil Rice.

More Indian Recipes to try

Now you are all ready to make this delicious recipe at home – Spicy Misal Pav. It is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or brunch over the weekend. Grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make a happy meal for yourself.

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Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa & Jatin