Misal Pav: Dude, if you’ve never had Misal Pav, you’re seriously missing out. It’s not polite food. It’s loud, spicy, messy, makes your nose run, and you’ll probably end up with sev stuck to your chin — and you’ll still want another plate.
I first had proper Misal Pav in Pune, at this tiny hole-in-the-wall place near Shaniwar Wada. The uncle there didn’t even look up while he was ladling gravy like it was his 10,000th time that day. He just asked “katkaam?” (less spicy?) and I stupidly said no. Big mistake. My eyes were watering, I was sweating, and I was happier than I’d been in weeks.
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What even is it?
It’s basically sprouted matki (moth beans) cooked with potato into this thick, spicy thing called usal. Then they drown it in this super watery, fiery red-orange katachi amti (thin dal gravy). On top goes a mountain of farsan — that crunchy poha sev mixture that makes every bite interesting. Then chopped raw onion (always too much), lots of coriander if they’re feeling generous, and a fat wedge of lemon you squeeze till your fingers hurt.
You get 2–3 buttered pav on the side. The correct way is to tear the pav with your hands, dip it straight into the gravy, or just mix the whole thing into one glorious wet mess and attack it with a spoon. There is no dignified way to eat Misal Pav. Accept that early.
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Different styles I’ve tried
- Puneri style → little sweeter, less watery, more balanced. Most restaurants in Pune do this.
- Kolhapuri style → pure aggression. They use more oil, more chilli, more goda masala. It’s the one that makes you question your life choices mid-bite.
- Nashik one → usually has more peanuts and sometimes raw mango pieces. Very different vibe.
- Mumbai versions → often heavier on tamarind and sometimes they add boiled white peas too.
My personal ranking: Kolhapuri > Puneri > everything else.
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How I make it at home (the lazy but tasty way)
I don’t pretend mine is street-level authentic, but it’s close enough that friends ask for seconds.
- Sprout matki 2–3 days ahead (or cheat and buy ready sprouts from the market).
- Pressure cook sprouts + one chopped potato (2 whistles).
- In a kadhai: oil → rai + jeera + hing + curry patta → onion till golden → tomato + haldi + mirchi powder + lots of goda masala (I use Bedekar or 24 Mantra) → cook till oil separates.
- Add cooked sprouts + potato, salt, little water, simmer 10 min.
- For rassa: take some of the sprout cooking water, add tamarind pulp, jaggery, more goda + mirchi, boil it thin and spicy. Temper with lots of garlic and kadipatta at the end.
- Assemble: deep plate → usal → pour rassa till it’s almost soup → fistful of farsan → onion → lemon → coriander.
- Butter the pav on tawa, serve hot.
It takes maybe 45 minutes if sprouts are ready. Totally worth it.
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Calories? Dude, who cares.
One plate is probably 400-ish calories. It’s got protein from sprouts, carbs from pav, some fat from oil and farsan. Way better than half the junk we eat. Plus you sweat so much you probably burn extra calories just recovering.
Where you should eat it if you’re in Maharashtra
Pune:
- Bedekar Misal (old-school king)
- Katakir Misal (D.P. Road wala — very good)
- Newale Misal (multiple outlets, consistently solid)
Mumbai:
- Aaswad (Dadar) — always crowded, always good
- Mamledar Misal
- Vinay Health Home (Girgaon)
Highway stops between Mumbai & Pune → random dhabas sometimes serve insane stuff. Just go by how many bikes are parked outside.
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Read More Recipes: How to Make Pav Bhaji at Home – The Ultimate Street-Style Recipe
Final word
Misal Pav isn’t Instagram food. It doesn’t look pretty on a plate. But it’s honest. It’s spicy, comforting, cheap, and it makes you feel alive. If you’re ever in Maharashtra and someone offers you Misal, say yes — even if your stomach is screaming “no more chilli today”.
Have you had it? Which style do you like most? Or are you one of those people who can’t handle anything above medium spice? 😄
