Maharashtrian Misal Pav (Sprouts Curry)

A delicious Maharashtrian breakfast, Misal Pav is made as a one-pot recipe on the Instant Pot or stovetop. Misal Pav is a wholesome meal that can be enjoyed as a nutritious breakfast or brunch. Misal is a spicy sprouts curry (usal) cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and coconut. This is then topped with onions, lemon juice, and farsan and enjoyed with pav (dinner rolls).

Mumbai is famous for its variety of street foods. Misal Pav is one of them, similar to the Mumbai Pav Bhaji and Vada Pav. To get the perfect and most authentic recipe, I learned this from my close Maharashtrian friend Shweta. So you will certainly not miss the authentic flavors with this one-pot recipe in the Instant Pot.

Looking for more easy Instant Pot Recipes? Here are 29 Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes for you to try!

What is Misal Pav?

Misal Pav is a spicy sprouted beans curry served with dinner rolls. The curry, also called “matkichi usal” is topped with onions, lemon juice, farsan and enjoyed with pav (dinner rolls).

There are 4 main components of Misal Pav –

1. Usal or Sprouts curry – Misal pav can be made with only sprouted moth beans or a combination of sprouted moth, sprouted moong, peas and soaked black chickpeas. The cooking method remains the same whether you use a single bean or a combination.
2. Kat or Rassa – This is the spicy gravy
3. Toppings – onions, farsan and cilantro. Farsan is a crunchy snack used in Indian chaat or snack dishes.
4. Pav or dinner rolls

Variations

There are also local variations of Misal Pav:

Mumbai Misal, where the sprouts curry (usal) and the spicy gravy (kat) are made together. This is the one we will make in this one-pot recipe.

Other popular variations are Puneri Misal and Kolhapuri Misal. In these two variations, the usal and kat are prepared separately. Then, while serving, they are mixed together as per taste.

Kolhapuri is the extremely spicy version. Puneri is mild and served with pohe (flattened rice).

Misal Pav vs Usal Pav

Usal is a curried dish made with sprouted legumes or mixed sprouts. Usal is a regular dish that is even prepared as a side vegetable in the daily household meal and is an important addition to the authentic Maharashtrian thali.

Once the Usal is prepared then, it’s topped with farsan, sev, onion, and coriander, and the lemon wedge is called ‘Misal.’ Both Misal and Usal can be eaten with Pav.

Misal has two parts: one is the thick curry of matki/ sprouts called “Usal,” and the other is red spicy watery gravy, also called “Rassa” or “Kat. “ Usually, people mix these two according to their taste.

Sprouting Beans

You can either buy sprouted beans or sprout beans at home. I find freshly sprouted beans at our local grocery store, but you can also find them in the frozen section at Indian grocery stores.

Here is my detailed recipe to sprouts beans or lentils at home.

• First, soak the beans in lots of water for 4-6 hours.
• Then remove the water and keep it in a wet cloth for 10-12 hours or until you see white sprouts coming out.
• Instant Pot yogurt mode also works great for sprouting beans.

The sprouts are then cooked in onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and coconut sauce, with aromatic spices and lots of water.

The water makes the kat/rassa, which is great for dipping the pav.

We will make misal medium spicy in this recipe. You can make it as spicy or less spicy, depending on your taste preference.

How to Make Misal?

Prepare the ingredients, and it is really easy to follow the steps to make authentic Misal Pav.

Instant Pot Method

We will start with sautéing the onions, ginger, and garlic in some oil. Then, saute with the tomatoes and desiccated coconut powder. You don’t have to finely dice or mince these ingredients, as we are going to grind them.

After sautéing them, transfer them to a blender and grind them to a smooth paste.

Now, in the instant pot, we will temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves in oil. Then, add back the ground masala paste. Add the dry spices.

The main dry spice is the misal masala. If you don’t have a misal spice blend, you can replace it with Goda Masala or make it at home.

The main difference between misal masala and garam masala is the addition of sesame seeds and dried red chili to the misal spice mix. I also like to add some Kashmiri red chili powder to give the curry a bright, reddish color.

Then add in the sprouts along with ample water, and pressure cook the curry.

After pressure cooking, stir in the lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Usal or Sprouts curry is ready. Check above for how to serve Misal Pav.

We love the crunchy farsan on the sprouts curry. Dip the pav in the Misal and enjoy!

Stovetop Method

• In a large pot, add oil, onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the desiccated coconut and mix well with the onion-tomato masala. 
• Transfer ingredients to a blender and blend to a paste. If needed, add ½ cup water while grinding. Keep aside. 
• Heat the pot again on medium-high heat (Note: It is not necessary to clean the pot). Add oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds. 
• Add the blended masala paste. Stir well. Add the spices and mix well with the masala paste. 
• Add the sprouts and water. Stir well. Let the misal come to a boil, then change it to low heat, and cook the curry covered for 20 minutes. Stir in between at about 10-15 minutes. If the liquid seems less, add 1/2 cup more water.
• Open the lid, stir in the lemon juice, and garnish with cilantro.

Pro-Tips

• Misal curry is typically spicy, but adjust the spice level to your taste by reducing the amount of Misal masala.
• Misal is usually a thin curry, so don’t hesitate to add the amount of liquid suggested. You can also adjust the amount of liquid to your taste. If it seems less after cooking is completed, you can add some hot water to the Misal.
• Add the farsan on top only on the serving plate, or else it will get soggy and not taste as good.

How to serve Misal Pav?

The special thing about Misal Pav is the way it is served.

Firstly, the cooked sprouts are added to the serving bowl and then topped with diced onions, farsan, and cilantro. Then, the spicy liquid from the curry or kat is spread around the bowl. Serve with pav or dinner rolls.

Another pairing is with poha. This one is popular in Pune.

Try this easy Mumbai Misal Pav recipe, and let me know how you like it.  

Check out more Maharashtrian recipes:

• Kakdi Koshimbir
• Besan Ladoo
• Ukadiche Modak
• Shrikhand
• Batata Bhaji

Other recipes for you to try in your Instant Pot:

• Rajma Masala with pot-in-pot Basmati Rice 
• Egg Curry
• Paneer Butter Masala