Misal Pav is as hearty and rustic as you’ll find. Love lentils and spicy Indian food? Want a vibrant, scrumptious meal that you can serve anytime, anywhere? This street food is perfect for you.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 cups matki sprouts or mixed sprouts ((250 grams sprouts, or ½ cup dried beans))
  • 3 to 4 tablespoon oil ((refer notes))
  • ¾ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon hing (/ asafoetida)
  • 1 cup onions ((fine chopped, 1 large onion))
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger ((peeled))
  • 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut ((if possible copra or unsweetened coconut flakes))
  • ¾ cup tomatoes ((deseeded & fine chopped, 1 large tomato))
  • 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (fine chopped)
  • ½ to ¾ tablespoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 to 1½ teaspoon red chili powder ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons goda masala (/misal masala (make your own from post or refer notes for substitutes))
  • 1 tablespoon jaggery ((optional, adjust to taste))
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste ((optional, or tamarind water as needed))
  • 4 to 5 cup water
  • 8 pav/ buns ((or as needed))
  • 2 tablespoons butter ((to toast pav))
  • ¼ cup onions ((1 small onion fine chopped))
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (fine chopped)
  • ½ cup farsan / thick sev ((mixture) or crushed tortilla chips)

Method

Sprouting - omit this if you have sprouts

  1. Rinse half cup matki well and soak them in enough water for 8 hours. Later, drain the water completely and wrap them in a clean cloth or add to a box. Cover well and keep it in a dark warm place for 12 to 24 hours to sprout.
  2. Depending on the temperature they will sprout. If the weather is too hot, sprinkle some water on them when the cloth dries up.

How to Make Misal

  1. Grate or grind together ginger garlic and coconut in a small grinder. Keep this aside.
  2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves.
  3. Saute till the leaves turn crisp. Then stir in hing. Add onions and saute until translucent. Then add ginger garlic coconut paste & saute till it turns aromatic for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn completely mushy and soft.
  5. Add chili powder, misal masala or goda masala & turmeric. Mix and cook until oil begins to separate, just for 2 minutes.
  6. Next add the sprouts, tamarind and pour water as needed to make the kat or tarry. If you prefer more kat you can pour upto 5 cups like I did. For a less kat, add 3 cups.
  7. Mix everything and bring it to a rolling boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes till the oil floats on top and the sprouts are cooked, yet firm.
  8. Taste test and add more salt or misal masala or goda masala if needed.
  9. Slice the each pav to 2, keeping one of the sides intact. Spread soft butter on one side and toast them on a pan. Alternately you may place all the buttered pavs on a prepared baking tray and bake for 3 minutes in the top rack. Adjust the time as required, no preheating required.
  10. Transfer misal to 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle lemon juice, onions, coriander leaves and then farsan.
  11. Serve misal pav immediately.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.