Misal Pav

Misal Pav is the crowning jewel of Maharashtrian snacks. This spicy dish is mainly made out of ground moth beans. The western state of Maharashtra is the birth land of this multi-textural recipe. The snack has multiple variations depending on the city of origin—there is Puneri, Khandeshi, Nashik or Nagpuri and Kolhapuri styles of Misal Pav. The other subdivision of the dish is purely based on appearance, like the Sev Misal or even Kalya Masalachi Misal.

The snack mainly comprises two parts—the Misal (gravy portion) and the Pav (Indian bread) that is dunked generously into the liquid. Misal can further be divided into two kinds, the Ussal (which consists of a dense, spicy gravy) and the Rassa (a more watery variant). The gravy is differently named, based on its colour. The more common red gravy is called Laal Rassa, the black one Kala Rassa and the green, Hirwa Rassa. But the Tari, a red hot spicy oil, is added to all kinds, to give the gravy a fiery punch. The Pav is generally eaten plain or lathered with generous amounts of butter and fried on a hot pan before plating.

Misal Pav's recipe does not seem to have any recorded origin per se, maybe because it was an indigenous evolution of local resources over time. Misal was the labourers’ food, easy to prepare, and a one-pot solution to nutritious mid-day meals. As per Marathi culinary history, Misal was not even consumed with Pav (bread) but was a dish in its own right. The gravy would be eaten along with spoonfuls of dahi (curd). But, in the wake of the British departure from India, people began shedding their initial hesitation towards bread. Numerous bakeries in Maharashtra were now owned by Indians and they wanted their wares to sell. Thus was born the iconic combination of Misal and Pav.

Over time, each province inculcated local vegetables into the dish, giving the original recipe a unique twist. While some used the ‘green’ variant by adding bottle gourd and pumpkin instead of sprouts, another form used poha instead. Even white peas are known to be put in the mix sometimes.

The age-old recipe has not gone down in history without its share of bowdlerisation. Modern and wacky renditions of Misal Pav can often be spotted in restaurant menus—be it the anglicised BBQ Misal, the more humble Matka Misal or for the ones who have a sweet tooth, Misal Ice Cream.