Misal Pav

misal pav
I have been requesting my brother to post some recipes here for last 8 years. He is a complete foodie – who loves to eat, loves to cook. Finally he agreed and here is his first post here. This is also the 1000th post on this blog (yayy!!!). Now over to my brother Naveen. – Shilpa

To give a brief but much deserved break, from several years of relentless work of Shilpa, I decided toΒ contribute to this site with few and really few recipes, she has missed so far. As I am her brother, all her relatives by birth, whom she owes credits of learning so many wonderful recipes, remain my mentors as well.

I tasted this Misal Pav first, at my Pachi’s house in Balgaum several years back. Apart from its appealing way of serving on dining table, it redefined my understanding of usage of left hand. At my house, left hand is never used while having food and that is what we were taught. Misal pav is first dish that I sawΒ everyone using left hand, for holding Pav in left hand(Pav also means foot but here I mean bread Pav).

Right hand is used for spoon, either for having Misal or for helping with farsaan(a namkin), coriander leaves or chopped onions. This fiery Kolhapuri recipe is at its majestic best when gravy is spicy and hot.

Though this dish is very traditional and a regular one at breakfast, recipe presented here is not inΒ its most authentic version. Nevertheless, its a shortcut to that perennial bliss called fiery Misal Pav.

Apparently Pachi has learnt this from one of her friends from Kolhapur. Apart from her house, I haveΒ also tasted this dish at few restaurants in Belgaum, Opal restaurant of Kolhapur and Rajvardhan foodsΒ in JP Nagar of Bangalore. If you have never tasted this, dare to taste this, only with few glasses of waterΒ readily available. Believe me, you will cherish this taste and its associated style for a long time.

Ingredients:
8 pairs of pav buns
Butter to roast Pav
1.5 cup Matki(Moth beans)
2 Potatoes
2 Tomatoes
3 tbsp Chilli powder
Salt

For masala:
1/2 Coconut (approx 1 cup) grated
3 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds(jeera)
6 cloves
1 star anise (badam phool)
1 inch cinnamon (dalchinni)
1 tbsp white sesame seeds (til)

For seasoning
2 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch of hing(asafoetida)
1 tsp chili powder
10 cloves of garlic

For serving
One large onion finely chopped
1 cup farsaan(mixture or namkin)
1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves
1 Lemon cut into small wedges

Method:
misal pav1

Wash matki till you get clear water, soak and keep it overnight.
Next day drain the water and leave it moist for another half day to get sprouts.
misal pav2
Pressure cook matki and potatoes for one whistle.
misal pav3 misal pav4
Fry coconut and other ingredients for masala, grind them in to paste.
misal pav5 misal pav6 misal pav7
In a pan, heat 2 table spoon of oil. Add mustard seeds and once they start spluttering add pinch of hing. Then add crushed garlic. Fry garlic till it turns brown and then add chili powder. Ensure that none of the ingredients get burnt. Then add chopped tomatoes and fry.
Add parboiled matki along with its boiled water and chopped cooked potatoes.
misal pav8
Mix coconut masala and stir well. Add salt and cook for around 10 minutes on low flame.misal pav9
Pour sufficient water and bring it to boil. If you do not see red color on top, prepare for separate seasoning.
Heat a table spoon of oil and add a spoonful of chili powder. Pour this over curry to get fiery authentic look. If you are health conscious use very minimal quantity of oil while preparing dish however garnish with oil seasoning towards end to get that appearance of ‘kat‘.
Serve with pav, coriander leaves, farsaan and onions.

Serves : 4-5
Preparation time : 45

PS: As mentioned earlier, this is authentic dish but recipe is not authentic. Here traditional goda masala Β or garam masala is not used. Ingredients for garam masala are used in least possible quantity. Also inΒ traditional version, Usal and Kat are prepared separately and mixed only just before serving. HoweverΒ if your focus is on end result, you have same Misal pav with this recipe and irresistible dish in muchΒ shorter time.

30 thoughts on “Misal Pav”

  1. Nice to see you posting finally! We do know that you have been contributing here by taking pics of those rare backyard plants and shooting your Aayi’s recipes in your home. Thank you for all the effort you guys take!

    About the Misal, the home versions are always made as a single pot usal. Only in the hotels the kat is separate so that the spiciness can be adjusted as per order. This does look nice.

    1. Thanks Anjali.

      Just to give due credits, pictures of garden at our native place are always taken by Pappa. Its he, who has been doing that work for good number of years, from our house.

  2. I had only heard abt misal pav.didnt knew the recipe nor tasted before thanks for sharing recipe Naveen..Shilpa congrates for posting 1000 of recipes..love you.good job..

  3. My favorite! I never miss to taste it wherever I go. Its served in any town of Maharashtra, and its always of different taste. At many places ‘poha’ is added also.
    From above recipe I don’t understand what happened to coconut and masala paste, when was it added to usal?

    1. Thanks Sameer. While writing, the step that you pointed out had got missed out. It has been corrected now.

  4. I have fallen in love with Misal Pav after tasting it at my dear friend’s home. And this clear step wise procedure will help me make it at my home too.
    A great achievement to have completed 1000 posts, congrats and heart felt thanks for all the effort your family has put tin to share so many wonderful recipes.

  5. WOW Congrats Shilpa, 1000 posts is quite the achievement. More power to you and your cooking. Love the misal pav recipe, will be trying it out this week.❀️Veena

  6. It is said “It takes a village to raise a kid”. Now we can say “It takes a family to keep the blog”
    Congratulations on the 1000th blog. Expecting many many more.

  7. Hi Naveen,
    Love this recipe. It’s simple n seems like it wud taste good too.one question though.the grated coconut used-is it dry coconut or is it fresh coconut?

    1. Hello Kanu,
      Yes, taste is guaranteed!! Just that you may want to tweak proportions as what I have written is for 8 people. I used fresh coconut.
      Regards,
      Naveen

  8. This recipe is totally awesome… It brought back memories from Goa and Belgaum. Where it used to be a regular fare.
    Am going to try this out over the weekend πŸ™‚
    Thanks Naveen and Shilpa

  9. Hi Shilpa,
    I have been following this site on and off ever since my Dad shared the link to your website. It has helped me immensely prior to my marriage (and even now) as a go to guide to Konkani cuisine and other cuisines. Thank you for building and maintaining this wonderful site!
    Hearty congratulations to you on completing 1000 posts and that too by showcasing the recipe of my all time favourite snack Missal Pao πŸ™‚

  10. the dish is very tempting. whenever i prepare matki usal in the evening we have with the farsan i,e, shev and all that stuff. For variation we can add small chana, white vatana and green vatana. after whole of the preparation of the misal in the end give bagar or seasoning with the garlic without removing its cover, and see the taste.

  11. Shilpa Golikere Shirur

    Hi Shilpa just made the misal. Tastes absolutely great πŸ™‚ can’t wait for dinner now. It will taste even better after it sits for a while. Thanks for the easy and authentic recipe.

  12. Hi Shilpa,

    The misal recipe is the first one i tried from ur blog and everyone at home loved it. i am a north india married to a maharashtrian and my husband has never been fond of the fiery spich misal …but when he tasted this , he changed his view and now this is regular at my home…. i intend making it for a pot lunch soon!Thanks a lot !

  13. Had this during college days at Belgaum. Awesome it used to be !!!!

    Lockdown days, let me try it tomorrow and surprise wife and kids. After all a Konkani guy knows more than fish curry and dali thoy !!!

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