Makki Ki Roti aur Sarson Ka Saag...winter special!!

I am neither a punjabi nor a north Indian to claim that makki ki roti and sarson ka saag is staple at our home but I absolutely love this combination and is also hubby's favorite as he was brought up in Delhi and was pampered with these delicacies .There are few killer combos in each regional cuisine which makes the meal very special to eat, be it 'Idli-Vada-Sambar' from south or humble 'Khichdi-Kadhi' and 'Dal-Baati-Churma' from east or 'Chole-Batura','Rajma-Chawal' and 'Sarson Ka saag -Makki ki roti' from north.These are the well known combinations that make different regions in India, proud of their cuisine.

In south, we don't get these greens, so never got to taste it, but in Mumbai we get them in winter. My husband and MIL though say that the greens that we get here in Mumbai are not as flavorful as what they used to get in Delhi. I learnt this recipe from my MIL who stayed in Delhi for almost thirty years but when she made it, she pressure cooked the greens for over seven whistles, which in fact made the saag, lose its beautiful luscious green color- admit though that the taste was nice.I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit my taste. I just blanched the leaves, like how I do for any other greens and added spices which suits my taste buds. Traditionally, Makki ki roti is made of makki ki atta and salt and since I like the radish flavor, I added it to the atta - Got this inspiration from our fellow bloggers.Do try this combo if you have'nt tried so far,I assure you that you will definitely enjoy it.

Sarson Ka Saag:


Ingredients:
1 bunch Mustard greens(Sarson leaves,approx 5-6 cups)
a small bunch of Batua(approx 2 cups)
a small bunch of Spinach(approx 1 cup)
2 onions,finely chopped
2 tsp ginger,finely chopped
2 tsp garlic,finely chopped
2 tbsp fine corn meal(Makki ki atta)
2 tsp coriander powder
5-6 green chilies,roughly chopped
1 slit green chili
1/2 tsp jeera
juice of 1/2 lemon(optional)
salt to taste
2 tsp oil
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp fresh butter for serving

Method:
Wash thoroughly all the greens in water and let the extra water drain through a sieve.Separate out the tender stalks from the leaves of mustard greens and chop them finely.Chop all the leaves of sarson,batua and spinach and keep them separately aside.Bring approximately 8-10 cups of water to a boil in a big pot,add a tsp of oil and add the mustard greens and let it cook for 4-5 mins.Do not cover the vessel with lid otherwise you will loose the beautiful green color of the greens.Now add chopped batua,spinach leaves and green chillies and cook for another 2-3 mins until the leaves are tender.Strain the greens through a sieve and quickly run the cooked greens under fresh water which again helps in retaining the color of the greens.Squeeze the greens slightly and grind it into a coarse puree,do not grind it to a smooth paste.In a thick kadai heat 2tsp of each oil and ghee/butter and crackle jeera,add finely chopped ginger and garlic and fry till slightly brown and add chopped onions and fry until brown.Add coriander powder and makki ki atta and fry for some time.Add the ground puree and add enough water and salt to get the required consistency.Do not cover the lid while cooking,it helps in retaining the color of the greens.When the fat gets separated switch off the flame.Add a dollop of fresh butter and squeeze in lemon juice to it before serving.

Note:
I add fried paneer pieces or the fried alu cubes to the gravy for a variation sometimes.You can even add the seasonal turnips,chopped while cooking the gravy.You can add a tadka of red chili powder to the gravy to give the dhaba style touch.Makki Ki Roti:

Ingredients:
2 cups makki ki atta(fine corn meal)
a handful of wheat flour(optional)
2 tsp chopped coriander
1 tsp green chillies,finely chopped
1/2 cup grated radish
salt to taste
fresh butter to serve
makki ki atta or wheat flour for rolling
hot water to make the dough

Method:
In a big bowl add makki ki atta,wheat flour and salt and mix to a form a uniform mixture.Add chopped green chillies,coriander,grated radish and mix well.Add enough hot water to it and make a dough out of it and knead properly.Take a lemon sized ball of it and flatten it using a rolling pin to a form a 6" roti of medium thickness.You can even follow the traditional process of patting and moving over the flour or even rolling in between two greased plastic sheets.I opted to use a rolling pin as it was not that difficult to roll.Fry it on both sides until crisp and brush with butter generously.Serve with a dollop of butter on it with sarson ka saag,pickle,lemon and salad.

Note:
Traditionally,makki ki roti is made with just makki ki atta and salt,the addition of other ingredients are truly optional.As I like the flavor of mooli I generally add it to the dough.