Winter Special- Makke Di Roti Aur Sarson da Saag (Corn Meal Bread and Mustard Leaf Curry)

Hello!

When we say winter the first thought of  food that comes to any ones mind here in North India is surely Makke di Roti and Sarson da Saag. Punjabis love to eat this and it frequents their kitchen quite regularly in this season.

Traditionally in villages it is made on ‘chulha’ which adds a different flavor and takes the recipe to another level which surely can not be achieved on a gas stove, but living in an apartment Chulha can not be thought of…

Talking about Mustard leaf, it is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. It shares the same cancer-preventing benefits of broccoli, cabbage and kale. Mustard is a pungent winter vegetable, abundantly available in this season. It contains large amounts of beta carotene and vitamin C that are important antioxidants. Mustard greens are also a source of calcium that can be important to lactose intolerant individuals. Mustard greens also contain a significant amount of iron.

Mustard greens can be eaten raw or cooked. The whole plant can be cut at once or individual outer leaves can be picked for a cut-and-come-again harvest. The young leaves, four to five inches long , are mild-flavored and can be eaten raw in salads. The older leaves taste better when prepared as cooked greens.

Makke di Roti can be made in various variations…like the plain, methi (fenugreek) and mooli (radish) and can be eaten with green chutney and butter also.

Ingredients For Sarson Ka Saag

5 cups chopped Mustard greens

1-1/2 cups chopped Spinach Leaves

2 onions chopped

5-6 garlic pods

1-1/2” ginger piece

8-10 green chilies chopped (check the spiciness)

2-1/2 tbsp corn meal

2 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp red chili pwd (optional)

2-3 dry red chilies

clarified butter for cooking

Method

Wash the greens with plenty of water to remove the dirt and soil and then chop finely.

Chop finely the ginger, garlic, onion and green chilies.

Take a deep pan and take 7-8 cups of water in it, put some salt. Once the water starts boiling first add the mustard greens let it cook for a minute and then add the spinach and cook for another minute. Remove the greens and put them immediately in cold water, this stops further cooking of the greens and keeps the green colour intact. Another precaution that should be taken is never close the vessel in which the greens are either boiled or cooked.

Grind the greens.

Heat 5-6 tbsp of ghee in a pan. Add chopped onions and saute, when it turns translucent add ginger-garlic and saute for a minute and then add green chilies. Add salt to taste and coriander powder, saute till the onions are nicely brown in colour now add the corn meal and let the meal get nicely roasted for a few minutes  till a nice aroma is produced. The corn meal acts as a binder.

Now add the green leaf paste, mix thoroughly and bring it to a boil. Adjust the consistency by adding some water.


Heat a spoon of ghee in a separate small pan and add dry chilies and red chili pwd. Pour the baghar immediately on the saag.

Serve hot with some home made butter on top.



Ingredients For Makke di Roti
2 cups Corn meal
1/2 cup grated radish
2 green chilies chopped
salt to taste
hot water for kneading the dough
Method

As I have explained earlier that this roti can be made in various variations. Here I am making with radish. Take  the cornmeal in a large plate, add radish, green chilies and salt to taste and mix thoroughly. The radish releases it’s water. Now add hot water (hot enough that your hands can handle) and make a dough. Every time we start making the roti take a small portion of the dough (small orange size) and knead it again properly. This helps in making soft rotis with smooth edges.

Traditionally the roti is made using hands and that surely needs expertise, I make in a simpler way by patting  and moving it using flour and this method can be further simplified by patting it on a plastic sheet and then lifting the plastic sheet away from the roti. This method is good for beginners.

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After lifting the roti put it on a hot tava/girdle and cook from both the sides and then put a spoon of ghee and shallow fry the roti.

Cut it into quarter pieces and serve it with the saag along with some jaggery, radish, a piece of lemon and green chili.

Here’s how the platter looks like

Sending this to Monthly Mingle:Winter fruits and vegetables hosted by Cook like a bong and started by Meeta.