Misal pav, made from sprouted moth beans/matki in a flavorful gravy with aromatic spices, makes for a healthy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
For the masala powder:
- Oil (1 tsp)
- Chopped onion (2 tbsp)
- Chopped Garlic (2 pods)
- Dry coconut/kopra (3 tsp)
- Coriander seeds (1 tbsp)
- Cumin seeds (1 tsp)
- Cloves (2)
- Cinnamon (1 inch piece)
- Black pepper corns (9-10)
- Dry red chilly (I used 1 Byadige chilly – you may decide this per your taste)
Remaining Ingredients:
- Ghee (1 tbsp)
- Cumin seeds (1 tsp)
- Asafetida (hing) (1/4 tsp)
- Chopped onion (4 tbsp)
- Chopped Tomatoes (2 medium tomatoes)
- Green chilies (optional)
- Pav bhaji masala or red chili powder (1 tsp or per taste – optional)
- Turmeric/haldi powder (1/4 tsp)
- Salt (to taste)
- Coriander leaves (finely chopped) (for garnish)
- Sprouted matki/moth beans (2 cups)
- Chopped potatoes (2 medium or 1 large) (optional)
- Water (4 cups or so)
Method:
For the masala powder:
- In a shallow frying pan, heat oil on a medium flame.
- Add chopped onions and fry them until they start to brown on a medium flame, stirring continuously.
- Add dry coconut and fry them until brownish.
- Add garlic, dry spices and saute for a few minutes, until the spices are nicely roasted and aromatic.
- Switch off the flame. Wait for the mixture to cool. Dry grind to a fine powder.
Main gravy:
- In a pressure cooker, heat ghee on a medium flame.
- Add cumin seeds. When they crackle, add asafetida, green chilies (optional) and onions.
- When the onions turn translucent, add the potatoes (optional) and masala powder and saute for a minute or so.
- Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder/pav bhaji masala (optional) and salt.
- Add sprouted matki, water, stir and cook for 2 whistles and 4 minutes on simmer.
- Garnish with chopped onions (optional), sev (I skipped it), coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
Tastes (Rasa):
Sweet (moth beans, oil, ghee), sour (tomatoes, yellow), salty (salt), bitter (coriander leaves), pungent (pepper, chilies), astringent (asafetida).
Doshic Influence:
Moth beans are kapha and pitta pacifying, but can be vata aggravating. Ensuring that the beans are well cooked and adding digestive spices will pacify the vata aggravating nature of the beans. Spices chosen are a good mixture of cooling and heating digestive ones. Ghee is tridoshic.
Effects on the Mind (Gunas):
This is a slightly rajasic recipe.