Mixed Sprout Misal

Misal/मिसल  means mixture. Misal is a popular Maharashtrian (belongs to the Western state of India, Maharashtra) dish where beans are cooked with spices. A protein rich diet for people on the go. This is one of the popular street food of Mumbai.

I remember a small joint at Chira Bazar (in Mumbai) famous for Plain Misal and Dahi Misal. Hot spicy gravy, soft cooked to perfection beans,  plain yogurt, chopped onions, and topped with crisp fried snack/farsan is out of this world! :)

Yesterday was the first day of my winter break and it was freezing cold outside. Since I already had sprouts ready and stored in the refrigerator, I made the spicy, hot, delicious Misal :)

Here is how I make Misal! 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of each bean of your choice. (matki, white peas, rajma, green chana, brown chana, green peas, methi, moong)

1 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp. oil

3-4 curry leaves

1 tbsp. onion and garlic powder

4-5 chopped tomatoes

1-2 tbsp of misal powder or garam masala powder

Salt to taste  

To make rassa

1 tbsp. oil

2-3 tbsp. onion and garlic powder

Water

Salt to taste

To Serve

Chopped onions

Misal farsan

Plain yogurt (dahi)

freshly chopped cilantro

• Soak dried beans and peas overnight or for 6-8 hours. Remove water, cover and keep in a warm place to sprout for 2-3 days.
• Add some salt and turmeric powder for color.  Pressure cook sprouts in water until you hear 2 whistles.
• Do not over cook the sprouts. I like them whole and not mushy. Also, do not add lot of water. We will use this water for Misal to not waste the dissolved nutrients.
• In a heavy bottom pan, saute finely chopped onions and curry leaves in 2 tbsp. of oil till they soften.
• Add 1 tbsp of onion garlic masala. Fry for 2-3 minutes
• Add finely chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes till tomatoes get soft and mushy.
• To the onion and tomato gravy, add 2 tbsp. of misal powder, salt and boiled sprouts with left over water. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
•  To make Rassa
• In a tbsp of oil, fry 2tbsps. of onion and garlic powder and 1 tbsp of red chilli powder for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cup of water and pinch of salt and bring it to boil.
• To serve:
• Pour some misal into a bowl. Add some rassa over it. Serve with Dahi, Chopped onion, and farsan mixture.

Here is step by step recipe:

I like to use variety of beans and pulses. You could use as many beans you like. More or less!
Do add some methi/fenugreek seeds. People avoid methi seeds since they are bitter. But when soaked and sprouted, they no longer stay bitter but enhances its' nutritive value.

Mix all beans and pulses in a large bowl and soak them for 8-10 hours. Soaking enlarges the seed and softens outermost seed coat. The embryo or baby plant inside will start growing into root.

Remove from water, cover and allow it to sprout for 3-4 days depending upon the length of the sprout/radical needed. Sprinkle some water every 6-8 hours to ease the process of sprouting.

Length of the sprout after after 3 days.

Pressure cook sprouts in water until you hear 2 whistles. Add some salt and turmeric powder for color.

Do not over cook the sprouts. I like them whole and not mushy. Also, do not add lot of water. We will use this water for Misal to not waste the dissolved nutrients.

In a heavy bottom pan, saute finely chopped onions and curry leaves in 2 tbsp. of oil till they soften.

To make onion and garlic powder. 

Saute chopped onion, garlic and dry red chillies in oil till they get golden brown and crisp. Cool the mixture and blend it to form a powder.

Or use store bought onion, garlic powder.

Add 1 tbsp of onion garlic masala.

Fry well for 2-3 minutes.

Add 4 finely chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes till tomatoes get soft and mushy.

To make Misal powder dry roast 1 tbsp. coriander seeds, 1tbsp. cumin seeds 3-4 red dry chillies, 3-4 pepper corn 1 small stick cinnamon, 3-4 cloves and grind them to form fine powder. 

OR

Use store bought garam masala powder

OR

Use store bought Misal masala

To the onion and tomato gravy, add 2 tbsp. of misal powder, salt and boiled sprouts with left over water. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, we need to make Rassa/ रस्सा which means watery gravy. 

In a tbsp of oil, fry 2tbsps. of onion and garlic powder and 1 tbsp of red chilli powder for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cup of water and pinch of salt and bring it to boil.

Spicy rassa is ready!

To serve:

Pour some sprouts with gravy in a bowl. 

Pour Rassa over the sprouts.

Serve with pav/buns and garlic chutney.

For Dahi Misal:

Add a spoon full of plain yogurt, chopped onions, farsan (fried sev, boondi or spicy bhujia) and chopped cilantro.

Serve hot Mixed Sprout Misal with Pav!

Depending on how spicy you like your Misal, the amount of Rassa can be added. 

Yogurt makes the Misal mild in taste. Farsan (fried snack) and chopped onions give a great crunch!

Enjoy Winter with Spicy Misal!