Misal Pav

Ingredients

• 250g sprouted moth beans (matki), or sprouted mung beans
• 1 large potato, boiled and cubed
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 tbsp goda masala or Maharashtrian kala masala
• 2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.2 litres water
• 150g farsan or mixed Indian savoury mix
• 8 pav rolls
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• Coriander leaves, chopped, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the sprouted beans and drain them well.
• Chop the onions, keeping one aside raw for the topping.
• Boil and cube the potato.
• Measure out the goda masala, chilli powder and turmeric into a small bowl.

Steps

1. Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes until it turns nut brown.
2. Tip the toasted coconut into a blender with one chopped onion and 100ml water and blend to a smooth paste.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat and crackle the mustard and cumin seeds.
4. Add the curry leaves, asafoetida and ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add one chopped onion and cook for 6 minutes until deep golden.
6. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they collapse into the oil.
7. Add the sprouted beans, turmeric, half the salt and 500ml water, then simmer covered for 25 minutes until the beans are tender but still holding shape.
8. Fold the cubed potato through the beans and turn off the heat.
9. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a separate pan for the kat gravy.
10. Add the coconut and onion paste and fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the oil separates at the edges.
11. Stir in the goda masala and chilli powder and fry for 40 seconds, no longer, or the spices will scorch.
12. Pour in 700ml water and the remaining salt, bring to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes until a rust-red oil floats on top.
13. Ladle the bean mixture into deep bowls.
14. Pour the hot kat gravy over each bowl, spooning the red oil across the surface.
15. Top each bowl with raw chopped onion, a fistful of farsan and plenty of coriander.
16. Serve at once with pav rolls and lemon wedges, before the farsan loses its crunch.