Misal - A Maharashtrian Delicacy...

Misal means 'mix'. This dish is used as a mid meal / snack or is another weekend Brunch Dish. It has a combination of pulses (protein) + Pohe (Carbs), so makes for a healthy delish meal. The recipe has a lot of ingredients, so it may sound complicated...but it really is not....My husband and I love it...and our little girl has come to love a few ingredients so I do not need to cook a seperate meal for her.... The components of Misal in this recipe are - soaked brown chana + potato pohe + rassa (the life of this dish) + condiments (Sev, onion, cilantro,lemon , chillies.....) Brown Chana:

Soak 2 cups of Brown Chana overnite.

The next morning, put them in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt, a pinch of turmeric + chilli powder. Cook until 4-5 whistles and set aside..

Potato Pohe:

2 potatoes cut into slices

4 cups THICK pohe

2 tbsp oil

10 kadipatta leaves

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 pinches hing

1 tsp mustard seeds

Heat oil, season with mustard seeds...when it finishes spluttering, add hing, kadipatta, turmeric and sliced potatoes. Let the potatoes cook. In the meanwhile, wash the pohe in a colander and remove water.Let them sit for 5-10 minutes. When the potatoes cook, add salt, sugar and Pohe. Mix, put the lid on the vessel and cook on a low flame until the pohe are cooked through...this should not take more than 5 minutes...Set aside...

Rassa - The yummiest part of this dish

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp mustard seeds

Kadipatta 10 leaves

Onion 1 chopped

Red Chilli Powder / Kanda Lasun Masala 1.5 tsp...whatever you have on hand

Salt 1 tsp

Sugar 1/2 tsp

a splash of lemon

Water 6 cups

Heat oil, add mustard seeds...when they are done spluttering add onions, kadipatta and cook until onions are translucent. Add chilli powder / kanda lasun masala , mix and then add water. Add sugar salt and let this concoction boil on a low-medium heat for about 40 minutes. Ad the end, add a dash of lemon and taste it...it should be spicy ...add salt to taste....

Ok so now bring the condiments of your choice... I like Sev , chopped cilantro, chopped raw onions and a wedge of lemon...

Set out a wide dish. Add couple tbsps each of the chana, pohe and rassa....top with sev, chopped onion, lemon, cilantro...and enjoy with a slice of bread...