Under the Misal-toe
For any non-Maharashtrian,the words 'Usal' and 'Sample' would certainly not bring to mind a food item.
4 min read
Here are the five best places where one can gorge on mouth-watering Misal
For any non-Maharashtrian,the words ‘Usal’ and ‘Sample’ would certainly not bring to mind a food item. But come to the state,and you would realise that these are key ingredients for one of the state’s most authentic and popular dishes- it’s very own offering to the culinary world,’Misal’.
Literally meaning ‘mixture’,Misal is typically a combination of fried snacks (or Farsan),sev,chiwda,onions,coriander and coconut,but as any Misal eater would soon find out,outlets across the state add and omit items according to their own preferences and creativity. This dry mixture is topped with something called ‘Sample’ or tarri’,which is a spicy,oily,gravy,and Usal,a sprouts-based gravy,and is typically served with ‘pav’ or bread.
Easy in concept and delicious,Misal is the great leveller,in a world where the disparity between the rich and poor continues to grow. For,the most popular outlets for this hugely popular dish are roadside eateries,and small tea shops,where rich and poor alike throng in hundreds,waiting for a chance to taste the delicacy. We serve to you five of the most popular places in the city,where the demand for Misal remains high across time and seasons.
Bedekar Tea Stall
Narayan Peth
This place needs no introduction. Famous for its Misal since the 1960s,this is heralded as the most popular destination for this dish in Pune. The Misal is served with bread,referred to as ‘slice’. It is recommended for people who do not want particularly spicy Misal,and enjoy a slightly sweet taste in their food. When asked about the USP of Bedekar Misal,Anil Bedekar of the stall says,We make it with love,that’s why its sweet and that’s what makes it special!
Price: R 34
Shrikrishna Bhuvan
Budhwar Path
Popular for its Misal since 1966,the joint is now run by Atul Joshi,the third generation in the line of Misal makers of the family. What stands apart in the Misal here is the strong coconut flavour in the gravy. We get our coconut from Konkan and the jaggery from Kolhapur,to maintain the authentic taste. We’ve also kept our recipe unchanged over the years says Joshi,who himself cooks the Misal,with the help of his wife.
Price: R 34
Shree Uphar Gruha
Shanivar Peth
What’s different about the Misal in this 25-year-old joint is the fact that instead of ‘chiwda’ and boiled potatoes,it is served with the proper cooked kanda poha and batata bhaji,which lends a softness to the texture of the Misal. Everything is cooked by us. Apart from the sev,we don’t buy anything from the market, says Manjiri Atul Bhide,wife of Atul Purshottam Bhide,who started the business.
Price: Rs 34
Shri Vaidya Gruha
Budhwar Peth
This place could qualify as a heritage site,running for nearly a hundred years. The unique thing about its Misal is the fact that their sample is not too oily. We make it more watery,but our customers like it like that. It is also not too spicy,and we make the farsaan and sev ourselves. We have maintained the place in the same way over the years. The setting and décor is just the way it was when we started, says Panduranga More.
Price: Rs 27
Kata Kirr
Karve Nagar
Just three years old,Kata Kirr,known for its Kolhapuri Misal,grew in popularity in barely six months of its creation. The reason we are so famous is because we take care of each of our clients. We have a lot of students coming to us. We make sure we use clean and safe ingredients,because we don’t want them to fall ill and impact their career and studies. And what makes his Misal unique? Even my family doesn’t know the entire recipe. Its my secret, he says with a grin.
Price: Rs 30
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