Hot & Spicy Misal Pav

There are umpteen ways of making a good Misal Pav. Misal Pav is considered as a street food & fills many a hungry stomach.  Misal Pav is a very popular any time snack in Maharashtra which can also be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, dinner & is absolutely delicious!

The authentic Misal calls for a tarri/kat/amti which is high on spice, fiery & has a thick layer of floating oil but people who are diet conscious & prefer their gravies medium spicy or mild do cut down on the chillies & oil.

Maharashtrians are well known for their pohe, usal pav, misal pav, batata vada, etc. & one of these snacks will definitely be served if you visit a typical Maharashtrian home.  Now, everyone enjoys & relishes these traditional delicacies. Many have adapted this original recipe according to their taste. This snack awakens your taste buds & if you ever try the Kolhapuri Misal Pav then you will hit the roof if you do not have the tolerance for fiery food! If you plan to eat this dish in a restaurant then you need to specify how spicy you would like it to be.

Actually, it is a dish which is high in protein & vitamins. The farsan mixture is prepared with chickpea flour which is very high in protein & the sprouts which are an integral part of this preparation is  high in vitamins. In general, most people in India prefer very spicy food. Since this dish mainly caters to labourers & farmers, they prefer hot & very spicy misal. To many, misal pav is an important meal which takes care of their daily dietary needs. In Pune, we have several way side stalls, small eateries & restaurants serving their very own signature preparation.

Misal Pav is an extremely simple, easy & quick meal. The addition of dahi/yoghurt to the misal helps to cool down the fiery spicy gravy. Some people do not like their misal with the curds/yoghurt/dahi  but we love it.

I wanted to share this wonderful recipe since a very long time but I wonder why it took so long… anyways better late than never! How about trying & enjoying this awesome misal with pav? I’m sure you will relish Maharashtra’s most famous & popular dish. This is especially for all fiery spice lovers… 😀

Ingredients :

• Matki(Moth)/Tarri/Kat/Amti (Spicy & Fiery Sprout Curry)
• Mixed Farsan/ Spicy Mixture/Spicy Chips
• Dahi/Yoghurt (lightly beaten) (optional)
• Finely chopped Onions
• Finely chopped Tomatoes
• Finely chopped Coriander Leaves
• Wedges of Lime/Lemon
• Pav or Bread Slices

To prepare Kat/Amti/Tarri :

Ingredients :

• 250 gms. Mixed Sprouts/Matki/Moth (picked & washed)
• 2 med. Potatoes (peeled & chopped)
• 2 sprigs fresh Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta)
• 2 med. Onions (peeled & chopped)
• 2 med. Tomatoes (chopped) or 1tbsp. Tamarind paste or 2-3 Kokum
• 2 tbsps. fresh Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. fresh Ginger paste
• ½ tsp. Turmeric pwd.
• ½ tsp. Jeera pwd. (roasted)
• A pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
• A small blob of Jaggery
• A pinch of Sugar
• 1 tsp. Red Chilli pwd. or as per taste
• 2 tbsps. Goda Masala or Amti/Tarri/Kat Masala (as per taste)
• 2 tbsps. Vegetable Oil
• Water as required
• Salt to taste

Procedure :
Heat oil in a sufficiently deep pot or pressure cooker body.

Reduce heat & add hing & curry leaves; let it splutter.

Then sauté onions till soft & translucent.

Add potatoes & sauté till cooked.

Add in the tomatoes/tamarind paste/kokum & cook till soft.

Add ginger-garlic pastes & sauté till rawness disappears.

Add red chilli pwd., jeera pwd., sugar, goda masala, jaggery & sauté till it is cooked & the mixture gives out a good aroma.

Now add in the sprouts & stir well. Let it cook for about 2 mins.

Pour enough water to get a good thin curry consistency ( thin clear soup consistency).

Add salt to taste & give it a good stir.

If you intend cooking in the pot, cook till the sprouts are tender & potatoes are cooked nice & soft.

If using a pressure cooker then fix the lid along with the vent weight(whistle).

Cook up to 2 whistles. Release steam completely but do not remove the lid immediately.

Let the contents settle down & the flavors blend.

Open the cooker & check for consistency of the gravy.

Add water if you think it necessary… depending on the thinness of the tarri/kat/amti. Always check the seasonings to taste… if you like the gravy mild, spicy, tangy, hot & very spicy as this gravy is excellent for your taste buds.

Add chopped coriander leaves. Use this tarri/kat/amti to assemble the misal.

If you like or prefer to give a tadka/tempering to your Tarri/Amti/Kat then this is what you need to do…

For the Tadka/Tempering :

• 1 tsp. Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
• ¼ tsp. Asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
•  In a tempering pan, heat oil till hot. Reduce heat & add all the above mentioned ingredients & let it crackle & splutter. Add this seasoning to the prepared tarri/amti/kat.

Assembling Procedure :
In individual deep bowls or soup plates, layer in the following order; ladle 2 large spoons of matki tarri, a spoonful of dahi, a handful each of farsan, onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves. Serve with wedges of lime/lemon & hot buttered pav or bread slices/or lightly toasted pav.

Tips & Variations :

1. You may assemble & layer the misal the way you prefer.
2. You  can enjoy the misal without curds/yoghurt , if you so prefer.
3. You can make your own matki/sprouts or buy from the stores which is easily available to prepare kat/tarri/amti.
4. You can use mixed sprouts or select sprouts according to your preference.
5. Tarri/Kat/Amti can be prepared with your own mix of spices or with readymade masalas which are easily available in the market.
6. You may use tamarind paste or kokum/amsol/sola if you so prefer or a combination of tomatoes & tamarind paste.
7. Jaggery enhances the taste of the amti but it is optional…depending on one’s preference.
8. Always use fresh farsan mixture or make your own.
9. I prefer Goda Masala as I have realized that it has a perfect balance of spices & coconut & you do not have to add anything else. In Pune, we get very good & fresh homemade Goda Masala. Besides, it is easily available in the stores. Good quality packaged & well known masala brands are also available.

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