Sprouted Horsegram Curry- Misal Pav
Missal is a Maharashtrian legume 'curry'. Typically a mix of a variety of legumes are used, however, I used Horsegram/ kulith/ कुळीथ. . Horsegram is native to the Indian subcontinent and has been used since ancient times. High in protein and a good source of iron, it was fed to the horses and therefore the name! Many Ayurvedic recipes are designed around this legume- soups, curries, bread, flour mixes, etc. . I love sprouting my legumes to increase the prana in them. This also makes them a powerhouse of antioxidants and helps easier digestion of Vata heavy legumes. Ayurvedic recipes recommend spices such as cinnamon, cumin, and hing/asafoetida for cooking legumes to prevent flatulence. . Missal Pav has countless creative versions of cooking and serving. My take on this Marathi staple involves the use of Agri Masala (recipe link in the bio) and typical Maharashtrian coconut-onion puree. I substituted a slice of homemade loaf for pav. Toppings include Farsan/ Bhujia/ Sev/ Chivda, chopped onions, cilantro, and lime. . Two words ➡️ Spicy deliciousness.
Step 1: Soak horse-gram or any lentils overnight. Next morning, discard the water and tie the lentils in a cheesecloth. Another 24 hours later, the lentils will sprout. Parboil the sprouted lentils- boil in water with a pinch of salt for 12 minutes (approx).
Step 2: While the lentils boil, in a wok, heat some oil. Once its smoking hot, add sliced onions and caramelize them- look for an even brown colour. Then add unsweetened shredded coconut. Toast the coconut for 2 minutes. Coconut burns very quickly, so keep stirring and keep an eye on its colour change.
Step 3: Puree this coconut- onion mix to look like this:
Step 4: In a wok, heat some oil. Add mustard seeds, followed by the powdered spices and curry leaves.
Step 5: Add ginger garlic puree and 1 cup water.
Step 6: Next add the coconut-onion puree.
Step 7: Add parboiled lentils, mix all the ingredients. Add some more water. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat.
Step 8: Check if the lentils are cooked. Next, you may add a boiled potato (diced) and 1 tbsp lime juice. Season with salt and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
Step 9: Get all the toppings for Misal (chopped red onion, farsan/ punjab mix, lime wedge, cilantro leaves) and serve with pav or a slice of bread. Alternately, you may also serve the curry with steamed rice or chapati or simply by itself as a soup.
