Misal literally means mixture of various ingredients.
All variants of Misal i.e. Puneri, Kolhapuri or any other. All utilise few basic ingredients
1. Sample/ Kut
2. Pharsan
3. Garnish it atleast with onions
4. Accompaniment: Bread or Pav
Now I introduce you to misal, our method is to incorporate most of the littile unused ingredients in it.
For example, once I asked my aunt to get me the famous CHIWDA of Nasik. She dutifully got a 1 kg packet.
On sampling it almost everybody at home was like ohhhhhhh nooooooo we wont eat it. "Tune manga hai tera tu jaane."
The end result after two three days we had Misal, the pharsan was substituted by Nasik Chiwda.
By the time all of us had finished with Misal all the 1kg of unwanted (disliked) Nasik Chiwda was in our tummies.
Ingredients:
For the gravy(called as SAMPLE)
Matki {Mot} 250 g
Onions(finely chopped) 3 medium sized
Tomatoes 3-4 small sized
Garlic cloves 12 - 15
Ginger 1 inch
Onion Garlic Masala 3 teaspoons
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Oil 1 tablespoon
mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon
cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
asafoetida a small pinch
curry leaves 10-15
For Garnish:
coconut grated
finely chopped coriander leaves
finely chopped tomatoes
finely chopped onions
Pharsan: readymade brought fresh from a Bhelwala(ensures freshness)
Accompaniment:Because of the "Bandh" of shopkeepers it was almost next to impossible to procure pav.
Yet a helpful neighborhood shopkeeper got us two loaves of bread
Conclusion: Misal will get its way to your taste buds and to your tummy if you really want it.
Now comes the cooking part:
For the Sample:
First let us prepare the paste or masal for the sample.
In a mixer make a fine paste of garlic- 12-15 cloves, ginger-1 inch, onion finely chopped (1 medium sized),
1 teaspoon of grated coconut, 2 teaspoonfuls of coriander leaves, add a pinch of salt to get the paste with smooth consistency.
Now the Tadka
Take a Kadai heat it.
Put 1 tblspn oil (generally use sunflower or groundnut oil)
Maharashtrian cooking does not utilize Mustard oil or coconut oil.
The only drawback at outside eateries is that they use cottonseed oil (it is carcinogenic)
Let the oil heat sufficiently.
Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, let them crackle.
Now, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, take care don’t let it darken.
Now add a pinch of asafoetida.
Add curry leaves. Hmmmmmmmmmm. does it smell good. Now that is just the beginning.
Add finely chopped onion(1 medium sized) and sauté for some time, say after 3 minutes(do not let them become translucent just now)
or so. Its time to add the ginger-garlic-onion-coconut paste and let it simmer till you are sure that it is done.
Now add finely chopped tomato (1 medium sized) and sauté till oil separates from the mixture.
We are almost through the main hectic work. So chill not literally don’t let the mixtures burn.
Its time to add ½ teaspoon haldi, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, the onion-garlic masala
(in case you don’t have it you may use garam masala(1-1.5 teaspoon), but make sure you increase the quantity of onion
and garlic by half while preparing the ginger-garlic-onion-coconut paste)
Add the matki (mot), sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add salt to taste and warm water. Let it cook till the matki (mot) is done.
Add more water and let the gravy boil for 15-20 minutes. We are looking for a thin gravy (watery thin)
Do you see a layer of oil on this gravy? Yes, then you have at least done the sample quite perfectly.
I can’t vouch for it though.
Taste it. If you feel the fiery taste and your eyes water immediately after you taste it, its done beautifully.
If not don’t cry, we wont go terribly wrong with it.
Gosh it is such a big write up. I need a small break. Let the sample boil for some 5-10 mins more.
Serving the missal with Style
Take a deep dish or a bowl could also be okay
First add 1 tablespoon of Pharsan.
Now put some lavish amount of Sample, also put some matki (mot) from the sample.
Make sure you also put some oily liquid of sample (oil is essence that contains the tikha of the sample)
Now garnish lavishly with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, if possible use grated coconut as well.
Put wedges of lemon on the side (You will understand their importance while relishing the missal)
Serve with bread slices or Pav.
The sample should be very very hot when you serve.
I hope you manage to replicate the famous missals of Maharashtra.
