Misal Pav

My mother makes the best finger-licking authentic Maharashtrian dishes. Not only has she passed on a goldmine of her recipes to me, but I have also been fortunate to try making some of them under her tutelage. I always wanted to learn to make misal pav firsthand from her and I got that opportunity when she was visiting me this summer.

We made the dish a few times until I was sure that I had learned to make it taste just like hers. This Misal Pav recipe we developed using the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker is quicker and more accessible and she even approves of this modern cooking technique!

What is Misal Pav? 

Misal is a spicy sprouted bean curry also known as 'Matkichi Usal' and 'Pav' are buns or dinner rolls. The misal curry is garnished with fresh onions, cilantro, and Farsan (crispy fried snack mix) and served with warm buttery rolls.

The sprouted math/moth bean curry is simmered in a thin gravy also known as 'Kat' or 'Rassa' with authentic flavors being induced by the freshly ground ginger, garlic, and a warming spice blend called Misal Masala.

Served as a hearty breakfast in small street-side restaurants in Western India, Misal pav is a very popular dish. It is always an instant hit at potlucks and gatherings. For me, it is a hearty meal that can be enjoyed any time of the day! 

Origins

While the dish traces its origins to Nashik in Western India, over time, locals have tweaked the basic recipe of how to make misal, to suit their palettes. Puneri Misal, Nagpuri Misal, Kolhapuri Misal, Nashik Misal, Khandeshi Misal are some of the variants of this immensely popular dish. 

My mother always whipped up this spicy dish on dull rainy days and it never failed to lift up our dampened spirits. As the Matki Usal simmered away in an incredible combination of fresh ground ginger, garlic, coconut, and misal masala, our kitchen would come alive with many delightful aromas. 

Meanwhile, the condiments of diced onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lemon wedges, and crispy farsan placed neatly in small white bowls made for a visual delight. I remember us all waiting in cheerful anticipation as the misal cooked to sublime perfection. 

I often make misal pav for easy protein-packed weeknight meals. This steaming wholesome dish leaves us completely satiated and instantly transports me back down memory lane to my home in India.

Misal Pav Ingredients

• Math or Moth Beans - These small brown beans used in this recipe are known as Turkish or Dew beans and are readily available in Indian grocery stores. The beans are first soaked in water and then sprouted.
• Aromatics - yellow onion, ginger, and garlic are used in the base of the curry. Although store-bought ginger garlic paste can be used in a pinch, I highly recommend using homemade ginger paste and garlic paste.
• Coconut - dry unsweetened shredded coconut is often used in Maharashtrian cooking to add nutty flavor and body to the gravy. You can also use unsweetened desiccated coconut or frozen fresh coconut instead.
• Curry Leaves - a must in the tempering as they add citrusy notes and unique aromas to the curry
• Tomato - adds tangy flavor and balances the spices in the curry.
• Spices - Although premixed Misal masala is available in Indian grocery stores, I recommend using homemade spice mix for authentic flavors from freshly ground spices. Hing (asafetida), mustard seeds, red chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, and salt are just the spices you'll need.

How to Make Misal Pav

Step 1 - Blend tomato, chilies, ginger, garlic, and coconut in a blender to make a smooth paste (photos 1 - 2).

Step 2 - Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat oil. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. This may take 2 to 3 minutes. Add hing, turmeric, curry leaves, fresh coriander leaves, and chopped onions. Saute everything as the onions start to turn translucent, it may take around 3 to 4 minutes. Cook covered to speed up the process (photos 3 - 6).

Step 3 - Next, stir in the spice paste and saute for another minute. Add red chili powder, ground coriander, garam masala, ground cumin, and salt. Mix well. Add sprouted beans and mix well. Add water and give a quick stir. Secure the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook (Hi) for 5 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release (photos 7 - 10).

Step 4 - Release the remaining pressure by turning the pressure release valve to venting. Open the lid and give a quick stir. Garnish with remaining cilantro (photos 11 - 12).

Serving

Heat a nonstick griddle or pan. Lightly spread butter or ghee on each half of the bun/pav and place them on the pan. Gently pressing them down with a spatula cook both sides until they are heated through. Serve hot pav alongside the misal topped with Farsan, red onions, and cilantro. Here is a tip, serve the farsan on the side so it stays crunchy. I like to serve plain yogurt on the side along with lemon wedges. 

To serve this dish as a gluten-free option, simply add lots of diced onion, tomatoes, Farsan, and a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt over the curry and enjoy with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Or serve it over steamed rice for a complete meal.

Tips for Authentic Tasting Misal Pav

1. Vadilal brand frozen sprouted moth beans are available in most Indian grocery stores. It comes in handy when you do not have time to sprout the beans at home.  
2. The traditional Misal recipe has lots of thin gravy also known as “rassa” or "kat" which is used to drench in the soft pillowy pav for each bite. Add more or less water depending on how much gravy you like. You can always add more hot water after the pressure cooking cycle has completed to thin out the gravy. 
3. Many people love a thin layer of oil known as “Tarri” or “Tavang” on the gravy. Oil called for in this recipe is on the medium side, but feel free to add more or less. More oil will give a layer of the “tarri” to the final dish.
4. I love using my mom’s garam masala in this recipe and I use 2 tablespoons in this recipe. Any Garam masala will work in this recipe, start with 1 teaspoon and adjust as per your taste. You can also use store-bought Misal Masala, start with 1 tablespoon as it tends to be on the spicier side, and add more as needed. 

Variations

1. Substitute half of the sprouted moth beans with mung beans.
2. You can skip the green chilies to make the curry mild or add more for a spicier curry. 
3. You can add only 2 cups of water while pressure cooking the beans and then add warm water as needed to bring the curry to your desired consistency.
4. Although, sprouted beans are traditionally used in this recipe, in a pinch you can use soaked and un-sprouted beans. Use the same pressure cooking time for soaked beans. To use dry moth beans increase the pressure cooking time to 15 minutes. 

How to sprout moth beans

Sprouting beans at home is easy. It just needs a bit of planning. Check out this post on sprouting beans. 

Instant Pot yogurt mode is also a good option for sprouting. Let me explain how to sprout beans using Instant Pot - 

1. Rinse 1 cup of Moth beans and soak in 3 cups of warm filter water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain out all the water using a colander, wire mesh basket, or silicone basket. 
3. Place the basket in the Instant Pot, close the lid, and set the Instant Pot to Yogurt mode for 24 to 36 hours. 

Note -  1 cup of dry moth beans will make 2.5 cups of sprouted beans