Misal impossible! This Dadar eatery's offbeat versions you can't resist

In 2015 Dadar restaurant Aaswads misal pav won international acclaim after Foodie Hub Global Awards held in London deemed it the Worlds Tastiest Vegetarian Snack Owner Suryakant Sarjoshi says his version is a Mumbai version that uses Gujarati and Marathi chivda as topping But we have so many other versions Pune has a poha version Nashik has black misal while Malvan has its own Konkaninspired flavourGet a taste of 18 different misals at the ongoing Mega Misal Mahotsav in Dadar which concludes on Sunday Organiser Nitesh Pawar says Every region in the state and every household has a distinct style of making misal Most chefs have brought along the water from their hometown because it makes all the difference If you cant make it this time head to Thanes Talao Pali from November 16 to 18 We survived a fiery tasting spree to recommend five mustvisit stallsTill November 4 10 am to 10 pmAt Bhavani Mata Kridangan Dada Saheb Phalke Marg Hindmata Gautam Nagar Dadar EastMalvani tadkaSujata Achrekar and husband Vithal Belekars most famous dish back home in the Malvan region of Konkan is the chicken gravy and vade Last year they made a tweak to their misal accompaniment and served the vade made from jowar rice and wheat instead of breadSujata Achrekar and husband Vithal BelekarIt was a hit at Achrekar Misal The thick purilike vade go well with their sevenmix Malvani misal made from vatana chana moong matki and masoor The gravy is a watery broth that celebrates the flavours of dry and fresh coconut even as a gentle kick from roasted masalas warms the throatSmoked to perfectionVidya Bapte owner of Mauli Misal points to the tagline on the board Naad Nashikcha which loosely translates to the madness of Nashik On offer are kaala black rasa and laal red rasa misal made with matki or moth beansRed and black misal from NashikThe black rasa masala is handpounded and smoked on the chulha The beans are all boiled in the same potVidya Bapte and husband AvinashWe cook the dish in rice bran Our misal will not hurt your throat but has the right firecrackers for the palate she promisesMild and flavourfulPrabhakar Magar has a fulltime job with a software giant in Hinjewadi on the outskirts of Pune He clocks in his shift timings and then heads over to his familys Vidhyashree Misal in Dehugaon to man the stall We are three cousins and all of us are working professionalsDehugaon misalWe work our shifts accordingly to ensure one of us is at the counter My father is there every morning he tells us pouring a mildly coloured misal and topping it with garlic sev plain sev and other crunchies all made inhouseRamesh and Prabhakar MagarOur village has a Sant Tukaram shrine and we have more bullock carts than cars he says pointing to a bullock cart centrepiece that holds a misal plate for show This one doesnt burn our palate and is for all the mildhearted foodies out thereShades of flavourThe Kolhapuris have the tamda and pandra rasa Kirti Patil owner of Chavdaar Misal from the city gets innovative with the green gravy misal concocted with green chillies coriander and fresh coconutRed and green misalWe taste a spoonful and surprisingly it is only medium spicyKirti Patil PicsBipin KokateIt instantly reminds us of our motherinlaws Surti undhiyu that uses the same masala for stuffingA touch of modernThis is the busiest of all stalls A Navvari sareeclad woman requests for extra tamarind chutney while another man enquires about misal patty The Murdeshwars from Thane are used to the queries and introduce their fusion dishes to hungry patronsGarlic pav with misal and French friesOwner Shreyas Mundeshwar says Ours is a Karwarinspired home recipe but we want to take it international and even compete with McDonalds One of their dishes is garlic pav with misal Served with French fries it adds to the dishs character but retains the desi tikhat swaadShreyas Murdeshwar and sister Meghana GodseOur favourite is the ragda patticestyle misal patty which is marinated with potato pieces oregano and basil It comes on a bed of matki misal and a side of warm rasa Misal is looked down upon but we want to give it its deserved mantle says MurdeshwarCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates