Hello! I would like to introduce you to the soothing and comforting sprouted legume stew called misal — it’s a traditional dish from Maharashtra – where Bombay / Mumbai (my home city) lies. I ate it recently at the cafe Food for Thought (it’s in the bookstore Kitab Khana in Fountain, Mumbai) and thought it was so delicious, full of flavors and textures. The stew itself is made with a spicy base of onion and tomato. Traditionally either sprouted moth beans, mung beans and green or brown chickpeas are added, but the idea is that they are sprouted.

Why sprout?

Sprouting unlocks the nutrients from all seeds. The process, observed generally after 48 hours, releases enzymes, makes the product easier to absorb and better for digestion, therefore richer in nutrients. I like to sprout and freeze lentils, beans and chickpeas (pulses) for later, that way, I always have them on hand.

I know this recipe calls for unusual pulses that you may not have on hand, but I encourage you to seek them out at your local Indian or other ethnic grocery store. What all nutritionists will tell you is that food diversity is very important for overall health because different foods are packed with different nutrients.

This dish is traditionally eaten with a soft dinner roll called pav. I have the recipe on my website but it also tastes great on its own.