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...

Palak Paratha and Mixed Vegetable

When I wake up on a Saturday / Sunday morning, all I can think of are the meals that I will cook for my family that are different from weeknite meals. So I end up cooking elaborate breakfasts and lunches.
I happened to stumble upon this combination that both my kid and husband enjoyed and is fir for brunch.... Its easy to make , nutritous and yummy.

Palak Paratha
Take 2 -2 2.5 cups of palak, blanche and grind with a green chilli, couple cloves of garlic and salt.
2 cups wheat flour
2 tbsps oils
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp haldi
1/2 - 3/4 tsp of sesame seeds

Make a dough of all the above and let it rest for 20 minutes
Roll out the dough balls into parathas, cook with a little oil on both sides.

Mixed Vegetable:
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1 Big carrot, cut into chunks
1/2 medium cauliflower cut into chunks
10 - 12 red raddish split into half
1/4 cup lite sour cream
1.5 tomatoes crushed.
oil 1 tbsp, with hing, mustard seeds and kadipatta to taste.
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp chilli powder.
1 cup warm water.

Heat Oil, add mustard seeds, let them splutter, add hing and kadipatta in a pressure cooker. Add crushed tomatoes and cook them till they leave oil on the sides, then add haldi, chilli powder. Add vegetables and saute for a couple minutes. Then add sour cream, salt, water and give 2 whistles...

Serve hot with PArathas...Enjoy!