Makke ki roti with sarson Ka saag needs no introduction to a North Indian,as for me,a kudi growing up in the rice bowl of India(south),makke ki roti was a delicacy I only heard but never had my hands in to.Just as Sambhar and rice are the Southern favorite ,the Roti and saag(greens)are the Northern staple food.There is subtle similarity between corn tortillas and Makke ki roti, as my fellow foodies would say after reading the recipe.
Mustard greens are mostly confined to North just as the corn.The fascinating mustard fields in the north with hues of yellow and green are quite an exhilarating sight,I remember ever so clearly from the song tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam....Back then I had no clue the hero-heroine are actually running around the nutrient rich mustard fields.
Like the SRK-Kajol jodi the bitter Mustard greens(Sarson) and makke ki roti makes a lovable evergreen duo. Curious me even tried adding these greens in salad ,bad idea... these are too bitter when raw,but when cooked with milder tasting spinach and spices the taste is heavenly.An authentic saag is made with ghee(clarified butter) and no oil,I would do the same If I burned calories like the hardworking folks working in the farm fields.Since I'm regularly irregular in working out,I used oil and little bit of butter for topping.So adjust the fat as per your activity schedule.
Sarson Ka Saag(Mustard Greens)
Ingredients
3 cups(about 1/2 pound) fresh Mustard greens(sarson),roughly chopped
1 cup Fresh Spinach(palak)
1 medium onion(pyaz),chopped
1 tablespoon Corn\maize flour(same as used in roti)
3 green chillies(Hari Mirch),chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala(ground cumin,cloves,cardamom and cinnamon)
1 teaspoon Coriander(dhania) powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ghee or butter
Method
Bring a pot of water to a boil,add the spinach and mustard greens,DO NOT COVER for nice green color,let wilt for 3-4 minutes.Drain all water.Puree in a blender not very smooth ,a little coarse is fine.
While the greens cook,heat Oil in a non-stick pan(preferably) on medium heat,saute onions until lightly brown.Add the green chillies allow to sizzle for few seconds
then add all the dry spices then after a minute stir in the flour,let roast for a 2-3minutes on low heat.When nice and aromatic,mix in the greens puree,season with salt ,stir often and allow to simmer for another 5-6 minutes on medium heat.Tastes best with makki ki roti,serve warm with little butter on top and some fresh crisp Onions.And thandi Mango Lassi would make this Punjabi meal complete.
Makke Ki roti(Corn Flat Bread)
Ingredients
2 cups Maize\Corn Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon of oil to spread over the roti.
Method
Combine all the ingredients to form a smooth dough.Cover and allow to rest for an hour.
The following is a modern method I guess,usually the dough is flatten by patting it using fingers.
Heat an iron pan or tava,take about lime size ball each time and press between sheets of
plastic using a heavy flat pan or plate.Peel out and roast on hot tava about a minute each side,should puff up nicely.spread a drop or two of oil all over the roti.Serve warm for best taste with saag.
Mango Lassi
Blend equal ratio of yogurt(dahi) with milk and mango until smooth.Chill and serve after the spicy meal.
The sarson ka saag is my entry for SWC Cooking with greens Hosted by Sowmya of Creative Saga
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