Sarson da Saag is a delectable curry and a hot favorite among the North Indians, specially adding to the Punjabi Cuisine and hence the name in Punjabi language. A fluent combination of delightfully refreshing flavors of leafy green vegetables/greens makes the curry heavenly delicious. The great combo with Sarson da Saag is the Makki di Roti, which is the maize flour/cornmeal bread. Sarson da Saag combines green Mustard leaves (sarson), Radish leaves (Mooli Bhaji) and Spinach leaves (Palak). These leaves are especially winter harvests, and this is the time this meal combo is preferred and prepared. It is also accompanied with jaggery and buttermilk, and thus completes the winter comforting meal. Here's the recipe of 'Sarson da Saag Makki di Roti' the flavors of Punjab, and relish with desi ghee (clarified butter) and white butter.
Ingredients for Sarson da Saag:
1. Mustard leaves (Sarson) - 2 kgs.
2. Spinach (Palak) - 1 kgs.
3. Radish (Mooli ke patte) - 1/2 kgs.
4. Ginger - 1 tbsp (grated)
5. Garlic - 5 to 6 pods
6. Onions - 1 no. (chop finely)
7. Tomatoes - 1 no. (chop finely)
8. Maize flour/makkai ki atta - 3 to 4 tbsp. (also called as cornmeal)
9. Green chilies - 5 to 6 nos.
10. Clarified butter/ghee - 3 to 4 tbsp.
11. Salt to taste
Cooking Method:
1. Clean the greens by picking up only the leaves and for mustard leaves, pick the tender stem along with the leaves at the end of the plant. Wash them with clean water and chop them keeping them aside.
2. In a cooker, add all these greens with a glass of water, along with garlic and green chilies cut into two, and close the lid. After 2 whistles, keep the flame at low for about 30 to 45 minutes, so that the leaves becomes tender and easy to blanch.
3. Once the leaves goes tender after cooking them, its easy to make a paste with a wooden masher, especially meant to mash things. If making in large quantities, blend them in the mixer too.
4. Heat clarified butter (ghee) in pan, adding chopped onions and grated ginger. Do not brown the onions, just keep stirring for 5 minutes. Then add tomato and cook this until mashed and finally adding the cooked and mashed greens to it. Give it a boil adding maize flour (maize flour thickens the curry adding a nutty flavor) and simmer on the gas until all the flavors are incorporated well and nice aroma emanates.
5. Serve the dish with Makki di Roti topping some homemade butter for the authentic taste.
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| Mustard leaves |
Ingredients for Makki di Roti:
1. Maize flour (Cornmeal)/(Makkai ki atta) - 2 cups
2. Salt
3. Butter
Cooking Method:
1. Take a cornmeal in a bowl adding little salt and knead this into dough by adding water little at a time.
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| Cornmeal breads |
2. Make equal size balls and keep aside.
3. Take a plastic sheet or a butter paper and place it in the side and fold the butter paper over it. Flatten it with the help of the rolling pin into a circle shape.
4. Heat pan and place this flattened dough on it and cook on both sides with low-medium flame adding ghee/clarified butter.
Note:
1. Cornmeal and maize flour differs in colors. Cornmeal is more of yellowish color and found especially outside India by this name.
2. Alternatively, while cooking the roti, instead of cooking them both sides in the pan, place the flattened dough on a pan and once it gets stiff, place it on open flame and cook until done and then add the butter. This helps in consuming less butter and thus less calories.
3. While mashing the greens, instead of blender, using of wooden masher ensures the greens have a nice taste and texture.
4. While picking up the mustard leaves, pick only the tender leaves at the crown of the plant along with the tender stem and discard the big leaves.
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| Maize-flour bread with mustard leaves curry along with buttermilk and jaggery |