Sarson ka saag with makki di roti
Punjab's winter dish: sarson cooked down with palak and bathua, thickened with makki ka atta and finished with a garlicky ghee tadka, eaten with hand-patted makki di rotis, a dollop of white butter and a piece of jaggery. Made from November to February when sarson is in the market, often in a big batch that tastes even better the next day, and a must at Lohri.
- 1 h 35Time
- 1 h 12Hands-on
- 4Portions
- 20 gprotein per portion
- 730kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 1 kgSarson (mustard greens), leaves and tender stems
- 250 gSpinach (palak)
- 150 gBathua (optional)
- 20 gGinger, roughly chopped
- 6 clovesGarlic, for the saag
- 3Green chillies
- ≈ 500 mlWater, for the saag
- to tasteSalt
- 3 tbspMakki ka atta, for the saag
- 3 tbspGhee, for the tadka
- 1Onion, finely chopped
- 4 clovesGarlic, finely chopped, for the tadka
- 3 mlRed chilli powder
On the side
- 300 gMakki ka atta, for the rotis
- ≈ 250 mlWater, warm, for the dough
- 2 tbspGhee, for cooking the rotis
- 50 gButter, white butter (makhan), to serve
- 50 gJaggery, in pieces, to serve (optional)
Method
- Pick the sarson leaves and tender stems off the thick stalks and peel any thicker stems. Wash the sarson, palak and bathua in several changes of water until no grit is left, and chop everything roughly.
- Put the greens in a pressure cooker with the ginger, the garlic for the saag, green chillies, the water and a little salt.
- Pressure-cook on medium for 4–5 whistles, about 20 minutes, then let the pressure drop by itself.
- Meanwhile, make the dough: mix the makki ka atta for the rotis with a pinch of salt, add the warm water a little at a time and knead well with the heel of your hand until soft and smooth. Keep covered.
- Open the cooker, sprinkle in the makki ka atta for the saag and mash the greens coarsely with a mathani or a hand blender. The saag should keep some texture.
- Simmer the saag on a low flame with the lid half on for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and the makki ka atta no longer tastes raw.
- Meanwhile, make the rotis: knead a lemon-sized ball of dough again and pat it out between wet palms (or on a plastic sheet) into a thick 12–15 cm roti. Cook on a hot tawa until spotted, flip, then cook both sides with a little ghee until crisp. Make about 8 and keep them warm in a cloth.
- Make the tadka: heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the onion until golden. Add the chopped garlic and red chilli powder, fry for a few seconds, pour over the saag and stir. Check the salt.
- Serve the saag hot with a dollop of white butter on top, the makki di rotis and jaggery on the side.
