Kiya yaad dila ditta!
That was me sighing when husband came home and told me he had saag at a Punjabi restaurant in Manchester.
I forced myself out of this work trip/ long drive/ weekend getaway only to relax and binge a few series at home; now I totally regret it.
Saag and Makki Roti are primarily eaten in Pakistan, but you will find them mentioned in some regions of India, Gujrat, and Kashmir.
The dish has its various health benefits, but for me, the taste and memories take over everything else.
Take a Short Trip With Me
Imagine this: a huge compound that opens to vast skies, green fields that stretch to lengths unknown, and you lying on the charpai (traditional woven bed).
I remember going to Jhelum with my father to meet his distant khala a few summers growing up.
Initially, I cringed at the cows and their display of manure everywhere, kids running around, and lack of electronic entertainment. And the fact that everyone would wake up at the crack of dawn.
For a few years, I dreaded when my father started planning the family trips to Jhelum. Something shifted in me; I would call it adulting, maybe, but now I miss the simplicity of life.
I would love to go to Jhelum next time I visit Pakistan and relive those fond memories. Despite not enjoying a single thing, I loved saag and makki roti, post-lunch lassi, and food coma.
Wali Khala, my father’s cousin, also realised this and she always cooked Saag and Makki Roti as a welcome meal to put me in a good mood. She would sprinkle extra shakkar on my makki roti because she observed I liked it with extra sugar.
Since that memory teased me a lot (I blame husband for reminding me and all the memories), I woke up on a Saturday morning, hungry with vengeance.
“I will make Wali Khala like saag and makki roti.”
She isn't with us anymore, but her love and care lives, and I regret never showing gratitude for all the hospitality. This recipe is my ode to Wali Khala.
How to Make Makki Roti
Makki roti is made with cornmeal, also known as maize flour. It is ideal for those who need a gluten-free alternative of chapati.
Sure, these rotis don’t jam well with nihari. But if the vegetable is on the menu, nothing compliments vegetable salan like makki roti.
Since I am mentioning gluten-free alternatives, it cannot go without the mention of bajra roti. Bajra roti has a very distinct taste and compliments most daals.
Before I get carried away, here is how to make Makki Roti:
- In a big mixing bowl, take two cups of cornmeal, sprinkle some salt, and knead it like you would knead other chapati flour.
- I don’t recommend adding a lot of water first. You can add a little, incorporate it in the flour, and gather it in a dough.
- If you feel the dough isn’t as smooth as chapati flour, don’t worry; it will feel slightly uneven. Rest assured, if you have kneaded it into a ball, it’s all good.
- Let the dough sit for half an hour, or start making rotis. Take a small portion out of the dough, roll it into a ball, and set it aside.
If you are a pro, you can make it on a rolling board with the rolling pin aka bailun. Otherwise, you can use the two-plastic bag method:
- Take two plastic bags, preferably with a thicker consistency like a Ziploc bag, place one on the counter, and put the rolled dough on it.
- Take the other bag, place it on top of the dough, and start pressing the ball gently to give it the roti shape.
- As the dough stretches, rotate the bag, and press the dough evenly from all sides.
- Soon, you will have a decent-shaped round makki roti. Disclaimer: makki roti does not have very even corners like chapati (at least for me).
- Now pick the bag, flip the roti on the other hand, and transfer it into a hot pan.
- Add some ghee, and flip again to cook the other side. Add more ghee if needed.
- Once both sides are cooked, remove from the pan.
If you are having it with an egg or tea, sprinkle some shakkar, and you will thank me for this delicious and healthy roti.
Note: Bajra roti is made in the same way. Be careful of water though, as it combines into dough formation faster than cornmeal.
What is Shakkar?
Common misconception: brown sugar and shakkar are the same – a true Punjabi would be pulling their hair. Shakkar isn’t brown sugar. It is a reduced form of sugar cane juice without any chemicals.
How to Make Saag?
You would need:
- Mustard leaves (Sarson ka saag) – 1 kg
- Goosefoot (bathua saag) – one bunch
- Spinach (palak) – one bunch
- Fenugreek leaves (taza meethi) – one bunch
- Green chilli – 8 to 10
- Garlic cloves (lehsun) – 10 to 12
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Cornmeal/ maize flour – 3 tablespoons
For Tempering (tarka)
- Butter – 3 tablespoons
- Button Red Chilli (Sabut Lal Mirch) – 7 to 8
- Garlic Julienned (adrak)
How to Cook Saag
- In a big colander, wash all the greens.
- Chop all the greens without worrying about shape.
- In a big pot, put it on medium flame, add all the greens, and sprinkle some water to cook.
- Add the green chilli, salt, and garlic cloves. Wait for all the content to come to a boil.
- Now add approximately 5 cups of water and cover the pot with a lid.
- The greens will cook for roughly one to two hours. Once cooked, use a hand blender to blend the whole mixture.
- Add the cornmeal and stir until it thickens. Stir to combine well and set it aside.
- In a small pan, heat the butter. Add button chillies and julienned garlic. As garlic changes colour, add the Tarka to the prepared saag. Instantly put the lid after Tarka to infuse the aroma into the saag.
Saag in Instant Pot
Yes, I did that too. Initially, I cooked saag in clay handi for hours. Soon, the romance died, and I resorted to an easier and faster method of instant pot. The taste is the same; otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend such treachery.
The method is same, but you will reduce the quantity of water to half a cup. Also, ten minutes of “cook mode” is more than enough for greens to reduce to the shape we achieved in two hours of cooking time.
After you have released the steam, blend the leaves and bring the instant pot to saute mode. Add cornmeal, saute, and take it off the heat. Add tarka. Your quick and delicious saag is ready.
Parting Thoughts
The sad reality of desi land is the unavailability of fresh vegetables at times. You may not find all varieties of greens but I insist not to give up on the quest.
Save Co has various varieties of Saag, canned Spinach leaves, and amazingly enough, purees of the spinach leaves. You can plan ahead to order your groceries, as they offer nationwide delivery.
Before you place the order, check out their variety of desi snacks, Motichor Lado, and Sev.
Also, check out their variety of Halal Wagyu Beef in case you are planning to make steak, and how you can cook Wagyu beef to perfection at home.
