Misal Pavમિસળ પાંઉ
Sprouted moth beans in a fiery curry, topped with farsan, onion and lemon, served with pav. It came from Maharashtra and has been thoroughly adopted in Surat and Vadodara.
Ingredients
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- 2 cups sprouted moth beans or moong
- 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 tsp ginger-garlic
- 2 tbsp misal or goda masala, 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ cup dried coconut, roasted
- Oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, salt
- To serve: farsan or sev, onion, coriander, lemon, pav
Method
- Pressure cook the sprouts with salt for 3-4 whistles.
- Grind the roasted coconut, half the onion and the spices into a paste.
- Fry mustard seeds, asafoetida and the remaining onion in oil, then add the tomatoes and ginger-garlic.
- Add the ground paste and cook until the oil separates.
- Add the cooked sprouts and 3 cups water and simmer 15 minutes; the film of red oil on top is the sign of a good misal.
- Ladle into bowls, top with farsan, onion, coriander and lemon, and serve with pav.
Tips
- Keep the curry thin; a thick misal misses the point.
- The farsan on top, or a spoon of curd, tames the heat.
Storing and reheating
The curry keeps three days in the fridge and the masala settles better by the next day. It thickens as it cools, so add hot water and bring it back to a proper simmer. Always add the farsan, onion and lemon at the moment of serving. Misal assembled and stored is not worth eating the next day. The curry freezes for a month.
What you can swap
- No misal or goda masala? Kanda-lasun masala works, or combine coriander-cumin powder, a pinch of cinnamon and clove, and garam masala. Not the real thing, but close.
- Moth beans can be sprouted moong or chickpeas. Chickpeas need an overnight soak and five or six whistles.
- Fresh grated coconut can replace dried, but dry roast it on a tawa first. The moisture in fresh coconut dulls the masala.
- In place of thick sev or farsan, use chavanu or fine sev. The crunch on top is half the dish, so something crisp is essential.
What to serve with it
A Maharashtrian dish eaten for breakfast or lunch with pav. Curd or chhaas and lemon go on the side because it is genuinely hot. In Gujarat it is easy to find in Surat and Vadodara.
Mistakes to avoid
- Do not undercook the ground paste. Fry it until the oil separates, or the coconut and spices taste raw and the curry has a bitter edge.
- Do not overcook the sprouts. The beans should hold their shape. Collapsed beans make the curry thick and pasty.
- Remember the farsan going on top is salty in itself, so keep the curry slightly under-salted.
- Do not serve the pav cold. Warm it on a tawa with a little butter. Hot pav soaks up the curry, which is the point of eating it this way.
Questions people ask
How do I get the layer of red oil on top?
Frying Kashmiri chilli or misal masala properly in the oil releases the colour into the oil, which then floats up as it simmers. Being stingy with oil means no such layer. Many cooks finish by pouring over a spoon of hot oil bloomed with chilli.
What is the difference between misal, usal and sev usal?
Usal is simply a thin bean curry. Misal is the full assembled dish with farsan, onion and curd, and a hotter masala. Sev usal is the Gujarati version, made with dried white peas and a touch of jaggery.
How do I make it less hot?
Cut the hot chilli powder and make up the quantity with Kashmiri chilli, so you keep the colour and lose most of the heat. Two spoons of curd stirred in at the table also takes the edge off immediately, and a wedge of lemon helps.
