The most indulgent way to eat those leafy greens. Sarson ka saag is a Punjabi dish with a creamy, deeply flavorful gravy of mustard greens and spinach. It is traditionally paired with makki ki roti, which is a roti made of corn.
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Indian cuisine has plenty of indulgent ways to eat a whole field of greens, so it was never really a problem for my mom to get me to eat my greens. Even though this is an intense shade of green and not the most gorgeous thing ever, I have always reached for more. It masters the art of carrying levels of flavor while still preserving the flavor inherent in the leafy vegetables.
If you’ve had palak paneer or chana saag, sarson ka saag belongs to the same family. Sarson ka saag uses mustard greens, spinach, and bathua (wild spinach) to create a unique flavor profile that distinguishes it from palak paneer and spinach saag. And makki ki roti is a roti made with corn flour, much like a tortilla, but it’s cooked on a tawa (metal pan for cooking flatbreads) with ghee, but I used vegan butter.
This isn’t a quick recipe, but the steps themselves are not too bad. If you have the time to tend to your greens, it will be worth it.
How to Make Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti
Gather your greens.
Sarson ka saag typically uses mustard greens, spinach, and bathua (wild spinach). I didn’t have bathua, so I just doubled the spinach. You can make this with just spinach if that’s the only one you have access to, but don’t called it sarson ka saag since “sarson” means mustard greens!
To prepare your greens, you’ll need a pressure cooker or electric cooker like an Instant Pot. Chop the greens and cook until they are soft and naturally creamy.
Tadka it up.
A tadka is a tempering of spices. You’ll start with hing (asafetida), cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, and green chilis. Then onion and kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves). You can’t really skip the kasoori methi because it is key to the flavor profile of this dish!
Make the makki ki roti.
Combine corn flour, whole wheat flour, and hot water as needed to form a pliable, mildly sticky dough that comes together easily. The whole wheat flour is not totally necessary, but it helps with binding the rotis, which makes the process easier.
Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti
Ingredients
Sarson ka Saag
- 250 g mustard greens
- 500 g spinach if you have bathua, then use 250g spinach and 250g bathua
- 1 cup water
- 12 garlic cloves, divided (6 whole, 6 minced)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil
- pinch of hing (asafetida)
- ⅓ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 inch knob of ginger
- 3 serrano chilis, minced
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
Makki ki Roti
- 2 cups corn flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- hot water as needed (about 1-1.5 cups)
- 2 tsp vegan butter
Instructions
Sarson ka Saag
- Wash your greens and roughly chop them. Chopping them will help make the gravy naturally creamier.
- In an Instant Pot, add the greens, garlic, and water. Pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and allow for natural pressure release. I didn't test the instructions for a regular pressure cooker, but you can pressure cook on medium heat for 4 whistles.
- In the mean time, prepare the base of the sarson ka saag. In a medium pan, heat tbsp avocado oil over medium heat. Add a pinch of hing and allow it to bloom for a few seconds. Add cumin seeds. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute, making sure the seeds don't burn.
- Add garlic, ginger, and chilis. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the red onion. Cook until translucent. Add kasoori methi and salt to taste. Finish for a few minutes.
- Turn on the Instant Pot sauté function or leave your pressure cooker open over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp corn flour, a little bit at a time, and as you add it, use a potato masher to further break down the greens and incorporate the corn flour. (If you don't have a potato masher, try mashing and stirring with a ladle.) Continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce heat if it starts to bubble aggressively.
- Melt some vegan butter in and serve!
Makki ki Roti
- Add corn flour and whole wheat flour to a mixing bowl. In a well in the center, add hot water as needed to mold the dough into a mildly sticky and pliable ball.
- Break off a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and roll in between two pieces of parchment paper until it is around 1/4 inch thick.
- Heat a tawa on medium heat. If you don't have a tawa, a cast iron pan should work. Place the roti on the tawa. When bubbles arise on the surface of the roti and the side that sat on the tava is golden with brown spots, flip it.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side before adding a small amount (1/2 tsp or so) of vegan butter on the top. Immediately flip. Smoke will erupt from the tawa but that is a-ok. Continue flipping a few times for the next 1-2 minutes. It should be slightly crisp, but still a bit flexible.
For more indulgent ways to eat your veggies, try…
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[…] Makki di Roti is a traditional Punjabi flatbread made from cornmeal, water, and a pinch of salt. It holds cultural significance in Punjab and is a staple in Punjabi cuisine. […]
Thanks for the feedback Sonia! Makki ki roti is no simple feat. Glad you enjoyed it and chickpeas sound like a lovely addition.
This was delicious! I didn’t have a pressure cooker so I steamed in a pot and it worked well, just a bit more time intensive. Added tomatoes because I some that needed to use up and chickpeas for protein. I was nervous about making the roti but they turned out great.