Sarson ka Saag and Makke ki Roti Recipe – A Delicious Punjabi Winter Special Dish

Winter is here, and the temperatures are slowly dipping. It means it is time to indulge in rich and warm dishes that give the body the necessary heat to deal with the cold weather. Amongst the many wintery dishes, one of the most popular ones and the all-time classic is the Punjabi delicacy, Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti or Sarson Da Saag Makke Di Roti, as it popularly called.

This Punjabi dish is a heavenly combination made with mustard greens. The feeling of the creamy saag and the hot roti melting in your mouth is exactly what makes winter a delight. So, in this blog, we give a simple yet winter special Sarson ka Saag and Makki Ki Roti recipe that you can make at home and also discuss lesser-known facts about the dish. 

Important facts about Makki ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag

Punjab is one of the most important states in India from an economic point of view. It is one of the largest contributors to the country's overall agricultural production. Besides, it is a popular tourist town known for its rich historical and cultural heritage and lip-smacking dishes. 

One of the most popular dishes is the Makki ki Roti and Sasron ka Saag. The saag is a curry made from mustard leaves, and the Makki ki Roti is a flatbread made from maize flour. What's interesting is that although the dish is a proud member of Punjabi cuisine and is said to be a quintessential Punjabi dish, its main ingredient, maize, is not indigenous to India. 

In fact, maize came to India from Europe only about 400 years ago. It is believed that during the India-Pakistan partition era, many of the migrants on the street consumed maize bread with mustard greens. This slowly became popular and everyone's favourite, eventually culminating into an iconic dish that has won the hearts and minds of people worldwide. 

Sarson ka Saag aur Makki ki Roti Recipe

All Punjabi families have winter special recipes, and Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti are common ones. Each family may have its own secret recipe that they pass on from generation to generation. Here is a simple recipe that you can try making at home this winter and keep yourself and your family warm from the chills. 

Ingredients required for Sarson ka Saag

• Mature mustard green leaves (750 gm)
• Spinach leaves (250 gm)
• Corn flour (1/3 cup)
• Unsalted butter / ghee (2 tablespoons)
• Ginger finely grated (10 gm)
• Onion finely chopped (2 no)
• Tomatoes finely chopped (1 no)
• Green chillies slit into halves (4-5 no)
• Additional butter for serving
• Salt (as per taste)

Ingredients required for making Makki ki Roti

• Maize flour (3 cups)
• Radish grated (1 cup)
• Hot water

How to Make Sarson ka Saag

• Wash all the greens, with the stems. Chop them finely
• Cook the greens with little water in a cooker until they become soft and tender
• Alternatively, you can cover and cook over low heat till the greens become tender
• Once cooked, mash the greens or blitz them in a mixer to fine puree
• In a cooking pan, heat some ghee, put the greens pure on the stove and let it cook
• Put in the corn flour. Stir well; let the mixture cook till you get a thick and creamy texture
• Now, make the tadka in a pan by heating ghee. 
• Add and cook onions and ginger till the onion changes colour and becomes transparent
• Add the tomatoes. Cook on a medium flame until the tomatoes become mushy
• Next, add the green chillies and mix
• Add the mixture to the greens, and mix well so that the ingredients combine well with the greens puree
• Let the puree continue to simmer for about 10-15 minutes
• Drizzle some extra butter or ghee on top and serve

How to Make Makki ki Roti

• Take the maize flour in a large bowl, add hot water slowly, and mix well to make a dough
• Keep adding the water as required until you get the right consistency
• Keep kneading the dough as you add water and keep kneading it until you get a soft dough
• Let the dough rest for a sometime
• Divide the dough into smaller balls and then roll them into roti of your preferred size and thickness
• Heat the tawa, apply some ghee or white butter, and cook the rolled dough on it
• Cook both the sides 
• Finally, add a dollop of butter on top of the roti before serving
• Enjoy the roti with the saag. Together, they are a match made in heaven

Now that you know the Sarson Ka Saag Aur Makki Ki Roti Recipe, and with the winter setting in, it is the perfect time for you to try making this delicious Punjabi dish at home and delight your loved ones!