A jar of Mei Pickles Condiment and Spicy Sauce sits beside a plated meal on a wooden table. The plate holds a bowl of dark green chutney, two golden-brown fried flatbreads with butter, and small roasted vegetables, with a beige cloth in the background.

Punjab’s Traditional Winter Meal

Punjabi Sarson da Saag and Makki di Roti Recipe

A traditional Punjabi combination of slow-cooked mustard greens, bathua and spinach served with rustic maize-flour rotis, desi ghee and Agni Gobhi Gajar Pickle.

Category Traditional Punjabi
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves Serves 6
Spice Level Medium

Ingredients

For the sarson da saag:
• 750 grams mustard greens
• 250 grams spinach
• 150 grams bathua leaves
• 1 small white radish, peeled and grated
• Tender radish leaves, when available
• 2 green chillies
• 1½-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 8 fresh garlic cloves
• 1½ cups water
• 3 tablespoons makki ka atta
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

For the desi-ghee tadka:
• 3 tablespoons desi ghee
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

For the makki di roti:
• 3 cups makki ka atta
• 1½ to 2 cups hot water, as required
• Desi ghee for cooking and serving

Instructions

1. Wash the mustard greens, spinach and bathua thoroughly in several changes of water to remove all soil.
2. Roughly chop the greens and place them in a heavy pot with the grated radish, radish leaves, green chillies, ginger, eight garlic cloves and 1½ cups water.
3. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are very soft.
4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
5. Use a traditional wooden churner, potato masher or immersion blender to create a coarse texture. Do not make it completely smooth.
6. Return the saag to low heat.
7. Sprinkle in the makki ka atta gradually while stirring continuously so that no lumps form.
8. Simmer uncovered for another 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
9. Add salt and a little hot water if the saag becomes too thick.
10. For the tadka, heat three tablespoons desi ghee in a small pan.
11. Add the chopped onion and cook until golden.
12. Add the sliced garlic and cook until lightly golden.
13. Turn off the heat and stir in the Kashmiri red chilli powder.
14. Pour the hot tadka over the saag and mix well.
15. To make the rotis, place the makki ka atta in a large bowl.
16. Add hot water gradually and knead carefully into a soft dough.
17. Work with one small portion at a time because maize dough can crack easily.
18. Pat each portion into a round roti between damp palms or between two sheets of parchment paper.
19. Transfer carefully to a hot tawa.
20. Cook until brown spots appear, flip, and cook the second side.
21. Apply desi ghee and cook briefly on both sides.
22. Serve the saag hot with freshly cooked makki di roti.

Grocery List

  • Mustard Greens
  • Spinach
  • Bathua
  • White Radish
  • Radish Leaves
  • Thai Green Chillies
  • Fresh Ginger
  • Fresh Garlic
  • Makki Ka Atta
  • Desi Ghee
  • Onions
  • Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
  • Jaggery

Best enjoyed with

A warm serving moment

Serve with additional desi ghee, a small piece of jaggery and Agni Gobhi Gajar Pickle, also known as Agni CCT Pickle. The crisp cauliflower and carrot pieces provide a tangy contrast to the earthy saag and rustic maize roti.