Misal Pav (Maharashtrian Sprouted Lentil Curry with Bread)

Misal pav is a defining street food of Maharashtra, especially associated with Pune and Kolhapur, each of which has its own house style ranging from fiery red to a milder, more tempered curry. At its base is usal, a simple sprouted-lentil curry eaten across Maharashtrian households, which becomes misal once it is dressed up with sev, onion, lime and served alongside pav bread borrowed from the region's Portuguese-influenced bread tradition.

NNWA included misal pav as a strong, widely recognised example of a legume-forward Indian dish that is genuinely eaten as breakfast rather than reserved for dinner, and as a good case study in how sprouting changes a pulse's nutrient profile before it is even cooked. It is also a useful example of layering textures, a hot curry against crisp sev, that is distinct in Indian cooking.

The technique to watch is boiling the sprouts just until tender rather than fully soft, since they continue cooking briefly in the hot curry and can turn mushy if overdone at the first stage. The sev should always be added at the table, not in advance, since it softens quickly once it meets the liquid and loses the contrast that defines the dish.

Kolhapuri misal leans notably spicier and often includes a red chilli-based tarri (oil) floated on top, while Puneri versions tend to be milder and slightly sweeter from the goda masala. Where matki is not available, other sprouted beans such as moong can be used, though the flavour and texture will differ somewhat from the traditional version.