MAKKE KI ROTI - SARSON KA SAAG

 
Tantalize your taste buds with the perfectly homemade filling meal of Makke ki Roti and Sarso ka Saag!!

Winter is the best season to indulge in seasonal delicacies that are not only delicious but are also healthy. For a brilliant winter rendition, indulge in Makke ki Roti and Sarso ka Saag, a healthy, wholesome and power-packed meal. This authentic meal is much loved in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan.

It is consumed throughout the year but mostly eaten during the winters. Since mustards are grown abundantly in Punjab and other parts of the country. It is extremely flavorful dish and served in almost all the restaurants and food joints across the country. It is highly nutritious because mustard leaves contain a lot of iron and protein.

Makke ki roti is a flat, unleavened Punjabi bread made from corn flour and Sarson ka Saag is a traditional Punjabi dish made from mustard leaves and spinach. The combination of Makke ki Roti and Sarso ka Saag is surely irrefutable, but when topped with homemade white butter it's totally unbeatable. 

Sarson ka Saag is cooked on slow fire for hours. The Saag is generally is served with generous topping of homemade fresh white butter or clarified butter which enhances it's flavor. It's one of my all-time favorite winter dishes. It's a wonderfully delicious and nutritious dish. It's rich in vitamins and minerals.

Always remember to add 2 boiled (mashed) potatoes and a tbsp of clarified butter to soften the dough. You can make makke ki roti with the help of rolling pin or feel free to use something like a wine bottle but it will be good if can try patting them between your palms as the dough is very soft.

This slow cooking saag recipe takes a little time to make but it is well worth the wait. To save the time, you can clean the greens a day before, put them in a plastic bag and keep them in the refrigerator. The mustard greens has a bitter and a pungent smell but can be subdued it by adding spinach and bathua.

I have added 2 bunches of mustard greens and a bunch of spinach and bathua (chenopodium) each in my recipe. Clean the greens, wash and chop them. Add all the greens followed by water, salt and ginger in a pressure cooker. You can pressure cook them for 4 whistles and mash the saag with a wooden masher. Do not make a smooth paste, just coarsely mash it. After preparing the tomato tempering and add the cooked saag in the pan. Stir and simmer for couple of minutes and it's ready. Add lot's of white butter or ghee (clarified butter) while serving the saag with makke ki roti.

MAKKE KI ROTI - SARSON KA SAAG

Preparation time : 1 hour
Cooking time : 1 hour
Serves : 6-8 people
Author : The Food Root


INGREDIENTS
For Makke ki Roti

2 cup Maize flour
2 potatoes boiled (peeled and mashed)
Water for kneading
1 teaspoon - Clarified butter
1 teaspoon - Carom seeds (ajwain)
Salt to taste

METHOD
1. Mix all the ingredients and make a soft dough : In a bowl add 2 cups of Maize flour, 2 boiled (mashed) potatoes, 1 tsp of carom seeds, 1 tsp of clarified butter, salt (1 tsp) and mix it well. Add sufficient water and knead into a soft dough.

2. Pat the dough with your hands : Divide the dough into equal sizes and try patting them between your palms as the dough is very soft. You can also make makke ki roti with the rolling pin or feel free to use something like a wine bottle. If the dough is sticking to the surface put couple of oil drops or use dry flour accordingly.

3. Heat griddle and place the roti : Now, heat griddle or tava (flat shaped, frying pan) and add little ghee so that it does not stick. Now place the roti very carefully on it. Flip and cook on the other side. Cook the roti with ghee till golden brown. Enjoy it with the delicious Saag!!

INGREDIENTS
For cooking Saag

2 bunches of Mustard Greens (sarson ka saag)
1 bunch of Spinach (palak)
1 bunch of Bathua (chenopodium)
2 cups of water
2-3 green chillis - chopped
1 inch ginger - peeled, grated
Salt to taste

For Tempering
4 tablespoon clarified butter
pinch of asafoetida
5-6 garlic cloves - finely chopped
2 medium size onions - chopped
4 medium size tomatoes - chopped
1/2 teaspoon - Red chili powder (lal mirch)
1/4 teaspoon - Turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon - Coriander powder (sukha dhania)
1/4 teaspoon Garam masala
Sat to taste

METHOD
1. Clean, wash and chop the greens and add them in the pressure cooker : Remove all the hard stems of the greens. Wash all the greens for 4-5 times properly and chop them. Next, add all the chopped greens in the pressure cooker followed by 2 cups of water, 3 chopped green chillis, 1 inch of grated ginger and salt to taste (1 tsp). Pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles. The best way to cook is to wait for the first whistle on high flame then turn the heat down for 12-15 minutes. Increase the heat again and you'll need to pressure cook it for another 3 more whistles.

2. Mash the Saag : Switch off the flame and remove it. Wait for the pressure to release completely before opening the cooker. Next, open the lid and mash the saag with wooden masher. Do not make a smooth paste, coarsely mash it.

3. Sauté onions and garlic in a pan : Heat 4 big tablespoon of clarified butter (ghee) or oil, add a pinch of asafoetida powder followed by 6-7 finely chopped garlic cloves and fry them for 40-50 seconds. Next, add 2 chopped onions and stir it. Keep stirring and adjusting the flame so that onions cook slightly golden brown.

4. Prepare the tomato puree tempering : Add 4 chopped tomatoes and sauté it for around on 7-8 minutes on low-medium flame. Next, add the spices - 1/2 tsp Red chili powder, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp of Coriander powder and salt to taste (1 tsp). Stir it well. Let the mixture cook, till the oil separates.

5. Add the cooked saag in the pan : Now add the cooked Saag in the pan. Stir it for another 8-10 minutes on low/ medium flame. Add 1/4 tsp of garam masala and mix it well. Turn off the heat and remove it

6. Serve and Garnish : Now, transfer the saag to a serving bowl and add loads of white homemade butter or clarified butter. Serve the Saag with a bite of soft Makke ki Roti and enjoy it with onions, pickle and jaggery.

NOTES
1. Add boiled (mashed) potato and a tbsp of clarified butter to soften the dough.

2. You can also make makke ki roti with the rolling pin or feel free to use something like a wine bottle. If the dough is sticking to the surface put couple of oil drops or use dry flour accordingly.

3. This slow cooking saag recipe takes a little time to make but it is well worth the wait. To save the time, you can clean the greens a day before, put them in a plastic bag and keep them in the refrigerator.

4. The mustard greens has a bitter and a pungent smell but can be subdued it by adding spinach and bathua. If you don't want to add spinach or bathua you can go ahead and make it by just adding the mustard greens.

5. Pressure cook the saag for 3-4 whistles. The best way to cook is to wait for the first whistle on high flame then turn the heat down for 12-15 minutes. Increase the heat again and you'll need to pressure cook it for another 3 more whistles.

6. Mash the cooked saag with wooden masher. Do not make a smooth paste, coarsely mash it.

7. Add loads of white homemade butter or clarified butter. Serve the Saag with a bite of soft Makke ki Roti and enjoy it with onions, pickle and jaggery.