Misal is a breakfast institution across Maharashtra, with fierce loyalty to regional styles. Kolhapur's misal is the hottest, with a thin, oily red rassa; Puneri misal adds poha and potato; Nashik's is dark and black-masala heavy. All share the same structure: a bowl of spiced sprouted beans, a ladle of fiery gravy called kat or tarri, and a mountain of crunchy farsan on top.
The base is usually matki (moth bean) sprouts cooked with onion and tomato, while the kat gets its colour and heat from Kolhapuri chilli and a roasted paste of dry coconut, onion and garlic. Eating it is a balance act: crunch from farsan, cool sharpness from raw onion and lemon, and heat from the rassa, which you pour in to your own tolerance.
Misal is eaten with soft pav, often with a glass of buttermilk or a cup of tea to soothe the heat. Restaurants serve the kat separately so you can top up as you eat. Pune, Nashik and Kolhapur each claim the best misal in the state, and every town has its famous joint with a queue outside on Sunday mornings.
At a glance
| Region | Maharashtra |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Maharashtrian |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Breakfast |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Total time | 60 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | No |
| Key ingredients | matki sprouts / dry coconut / onion / farsan |
Ingredients
For the masala paste
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1/3 cup dry coconut (kopra), grated
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tomato, chopped
For the usal and kat
- 2 cups matki sprouts
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp Kolhapuri or Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tsp hot red chilli powder
- 2 tsp goda masala or kanda-lasun masala
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 small piece jaggery
- 2 kokum petals
- 4 cups hot water
To serve
- 2 cups mixed farsan or chivda
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander
- Lemon wedges
- 8 pav
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp oil, add the sliced onion and fry on medium for 5-6 minutes until brown. Add the coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until it turns reddish-brown and fragrant. Add garlic, ginger and tomato for 1 minute. Cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
- Pressure cook the matki sprouts with 1 1/2 cups water, a pinch of turmeric and salt for 1 whistle only. They should be cooked but hold their shape.
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pot on medium. Crackle the mustard seeds, add asafoetida, curry leaves and the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Add the ground masala paste and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates and the paste darkens.
- Lower the heat, add turmeric, both chilli powders and goda masala and stir for 30 seconds without burning.
- Remove one-third of this masala to a separate pan for the kat. Add the cooked matki with its water to the main pot, plus 1 cup hot water, half the salt, jaggery and a kokum petal. Simmer for 10 minutes to make the usal.
- To the reserved masala add 3 cups hot water, the rest of the salt and a kokum petal. Boil for 10-12 minutes until a layer of red oil (tarri) floats on top. This is the kat.
- To serve, ladle usal into a bowl, pour kat over it, top with farsan, chopped onion and coriander, and add a lemon wedge. Serve with pav and extra kat on the side.
Tips
- Do not overcook the sprouts; mushy matki makes the misal pasty.
- The red oil layer on the kat is the hallmark of a good misal; let it boil until you see it.
- Add the farsan only at the table so it stays crunchy.
Serve with
Soft pav, buttermilk or cutting chai, and extra kat in a jug.