misal pav

Misal pav recipe with step by step photos. Misal pav is a popular Mumbai street food of usal (sprouts curry) topped with onions, tomatoes, farsan (fried savory mixture), lemon juice and served with pav.

Growing up in Mumbai, I have had misal pav in many places. My mom would also make misal pav at home many times. This is one of my favorite Maharashtrian breakfast recipe.

There are many variations of making misal in maharashtra. Usually, moth bean sprouts (matki sprouts) or mixed beans sprouts are used. Other variations of usal on the blog are:

• Chawli usal (with black eyed beans or lobia)
• Kala chana usal
• Mix sprouts usal
• Malvani usal.

I usually make the misal less spicy as that how we prefer it. But there are some really spicy misal like the Kolhapuri misal. I have also posted an easy One pot misal pav recipe (with video).

I either make this usal curry made with matki sprouts or my mom’s usal recipe for making misal pav. In this recipe I have used homemade matki sprouts. If you want to know how to sprouts moth beans or mung beans, then you can check the method here on How to sprout mung beans.

Misal pav can be had as a breakfast, snack or as a brunch. Its a delicious and wholesome meal, especially if the pav (buns) is made from wheat flour or if you could make your own healthy bread.

I usually make Wheat pav or buns at home whenever I make misal pav. I have also shared the recipe of Ladi pav.

How to make misal pav

1. Rinse 2 cups of moth bean sprouts first in running water.

2. Drain the sprouts very well and add them in a pressure cooker.

3. Also add 2 medium sized potatoes (chopped), ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and salt in the pressure cooker.

4. The water should be covering the matki sprouts about ½ inch above.  if using mixed bean sprouts, then you will have to add more water.

5. Add 1 teaspoon of salt or as required.

6. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles on a medium flame.

7. In a small bowl, soak the tamarind in ⅓ or ½ cup warm or hot water for 25 to 30 minutes.

8. Squeeze the tamarind and extract the pulp. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.

9. Measure and keep all the spices ready.

Making usal for misal pav

10. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in another pan.

11. Crackle 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds first.

12. Then add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Saute for some seconds till the cumin gets golden.

13. Add one large or medium sized onion (chopped).

14. Saute till the onions turn translucent.

15. Then add 10 to 12 curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste (3 to 4 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle) and 1 to 2 green chilies (chopped).

16. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

17. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of goda masala.

18. Stir & mix the spice powders well.

19. Then add the tamarind pulp.

20. Simmer till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away.

21. Drain the pressure cooked matki sprouts and potatoes.

22. Add them to the tamarind pulp.

23. Stir and add ¾ to 1 cup water or more water if required.

24. Season with salt as required.

25. If you want you can also add 1 teaspoon of sugar or jaggery.

26. Simmer the usal for 8 to 10 minutes on a low flame with occasional stirrings.

27. Lastly garnish with coriander leaves.

Assembling misal pav

28. Whilst the usal is simmering, you can prep the toppings for the misal pav. finely chop the onion and tomato. Keep aside. Tomatoes are optional and can be skipped if you want.

29. Take the steaming hot usal in 4 to 5 serving bowls or plates.

30. In each bowl of usal, first add the chopped onions and tomatoes.

31. Then top the usal with chopped coriander leaves.

32. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice. then top it with farsan or chiwda.

33. Garnish with slices of lemon, chopped onion and mix farsan/sev/chiwda. Serve the Misal in a bowl or a plate with pav buns. Enjoy the misal pav.

More street food recipes

• Pav bhaji
• Pani puri
• Bhel puri
• Batata vada
• Masala pav

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Misal Pav

4.69 from 38 votes

By Dassana Amit

Misal pav is a popular Mumbai street food of usal (sprouts curry) topped with onions, tomatoes, farsan (fried savory mixture), lemon juice and served with pav.

Save Pin Print

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr

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Cuisine Indian Street Food, Mumbai Street Food

Course: Breakfast, Main Course, Snacks

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Servings 4

Units

Ingredients

for the usal (sprouts curry)

• ▢ 2 cups moth bean sprouts (matki sprouts) or mixed bean sprouts - i used about 1 cup of moth beans to prepare the sprouts
• ▢ 2 small to medium potatoes, cubed
• ▢ 1 large or medium onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 to 2 green chilies , chopped
• ▢ 3 to 4 garlic + 1 inch ginger, - crushed in a mortar-pestle to a fine paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ 10 to 12 curry leaves
• ▢ 1 to 1.5 tablespoon goda masala or kala masala
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons tamarind, soaked in ⅓ or ½ cup water or 2 to 3 kokums
• ▢ ¾ to 1 cup water or add as required
• ▢ 3 tablespoons oil
• ▢ salt as required

for the misal pav

• ▢ 8 to 10 pav (bread rolls) or bread slices as required
• ▢ ½ cup finely chopped onions
• ▢ ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes optional
• ▢ ½ to 1 cup thick sev or farsan (chiwda), fried savory snack mixture
• ▢ 1 lemon or lime quartered or diced
• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped coriander leaves
• ▢ ½ cup Curd or yogurt, beaten, optional

Instructions

preparation for misal pav

• Rinse the moth bean sprouts first in running water.
• Drain and then add the sprouts, cubed potatoes, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, salt in a pressure cooker. The water should be covering the matki sprouts about ½ inch above. If using mixed bean sprouts, you will have to add more water.
• Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
• In a small bowl soak the tamarind in ⅓ or ½ cup warm water for 25 to 30 mins.
• Squeeze the tamarind and extract the pulp. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.

making usal for misal pav

• Heat oil in another pan. crackle the mustard seeds first.
• Then add the cumin and saute for some seconds till the cumin gets golden.
• Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
• Then add the curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and green chilies
• Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
• Add the remaining ¼ tsp turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and goda masala.
• Stir and then add the tamarind pulp. saute till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away.
• Drain the pressure cooked matki sprouts and potatoes and add them to the tamarind pulp.
• Stir and add ¾ to 1 cup water or more water if required.
• Season with salt and simmer the usal for 8 to 10 mins on a low flame with occasional stirrings.
• Lastly garnish with coriander leaves. if you want you can also add sugar or jaggery.

assembling the misal pav

• Whilst the usal is simmering, you can prep the toppings for the misal pav.
• Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. Keep aside.
• Take the steaming usal in 3 to 4 individual serving bowls or plates.
• In each bowl of usal, first add the chopped onions and tomatoes.
• Then top usal with chopped coriander leaves. squeeze a few drops of lemon juice. then top it with farsan or chiwda.
• Serve the misal bowl in a plate with pav buns and slices of lemon, chopped onion and mix farsan/sev/chiwda. enjoy the misal pav.

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