Sarson da Saag with Makki di Roti Recipe

Name: Sarson da Saag with Makki di Roti Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Punjabi
Ingredients: 500 g sarson (mustard greens), washed and roughly chopped; 250 g palak (spinach), washed and roughly chopped; 100 g bathua, washed and roughly chopped (optional); 2 medium onions, finely chopped; 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped; 1-inch piece ginger, chopped; 2-3 green chillies, chopped; 2 tbsp makki ka atta (corn flour); 2 tbsp ghee or white butter (makkhan); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp red chilli powder; Salt, to taste; 2 cups makki ka atta (corn flour); Warm water, as needed; Salt, a pinch; Ghee or butter, for cooking; White butter (makkhan); Jaggery (gur); Raw onion rings (optional)

By RecipeKahani Kitchen· 11/5/2026Main Course

Sarson da saag with white butter, served with makki di roti and jaggery — classic Punjabi winter thali

Sarson da saag with makki di roti

The classic Punjabi winter pairing — a deeply savoury mustard greens curry finished with white butter, served alongside hot, hand-patted cornmeal flatbreads.

Sarson da saag is the dish Punjab waits all winter for. Mustard greens are the backbone, but what gives a good saag its body is the mix — spinach and bathua (if you can find it) balance out mustard's natural bitterness, while a long, slow simmer and a generous hand with ginger, garlic and green chilli bring everything together into something thick enough to coat a spoon. It's always finished with a knob of white butter (makkhan) melting into the centre, and eaten with makki di roti — unleavened cornmeal flatbread patted out by hand, because corn flour has no gluten to roll it with.

Tips for a good saag

Don't skip the hand-mashing (or a brief whizz with a hand blender) at the end — saag should be coarsely broken down, not silky-smooth or left in whole leaves.
Cook the greens low and slow, partly covered, so they really soften — a quick boil leaves the saag thin and raw-tasting.
Makki ka atta (corn flour) has no gluten, so the dough tears easily. Keep it slightly warm and patch cracks with wet fingers as you pat out each roti.
A spoon of besan (gram flour) or a boiled, mashed potato stirred into the saag helps it hold together and thickens it without diluting the flavour.

Serve hot, with extra white butter, a wedge of raw onion, and jaggery on the side — the sweetness is the classic counterpoint to the saag's bitterness.

Method

Boil the greens. In a large pot, add the mustard greens, spinach, bathua, half the chopped ginger-garlic-green chilli, and enough water to just cover. Cover and cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes, until the greens are completely soft.
Mash coarsely. Let the mixture cool slightly, then mash it coarsely with a wooden masher (mathni) or pulse briefly in a blender — it should stay a little textured, not silky.
Make the tempering. Heat ghee in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter, then add the chopped onions and sauté until golden. Add the remaining ginger, garlic and green chilli; cook for a minute until fragrant.
Cook the saag. Stir in the red chilli powder, then add the mashed greens back into the kadai. Mix in the corn flour and salt. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the saag thickens and the rawness of the corn flour cooks out.
Make the roti dough. Meanwhile, mix the corn flour with a pinch of salt. Gradually add warm water, kneading gently, until you have a soft, pliable dough. Corn flour has no gluten, so work quickly before it dries out.
Shape the rotis. Divide the dough into balls. Pat each one out by hand between two sheets of greased plastic (or directly on a damp cloth) into a roti about 5-6 inches wide, patching any cracks with wet fingers.
Cook the rotis. Cook each roti on a hot tawa until light brown spots appear on both sides, pressing gently with a cloth or spatula to puff slightly. Brush with ghee.
Serve. Top the saag with a knob of white butter and serve hot with the makki di roti, extra jaggery, and raw onion on the side.

Sarson da Saag with Makki di Roti Recipe

Tips for a good saag

Method

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