Sarson da Saag with Makki di Roti

Ingredients

• 750g mustard greens (sarson), chopped
• 250g spinach, chopped
• 150g bathua or more spinach, chopped
• 5cm ginger, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves
• 3 green chillies
• 1 tsp salt for the greens
• 500ml water
• 4 tbsp makki ka atta (fine maize flour), for thickening
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp salt for the tadka
• 300g makki ka atta, for the rotis
• 220ml hot water, approximately
• 1/2 tsp salt for the roti dough
• White butter, to serve

Before you cook

• Strip the mustard greens, spinach and bathua from their toughest stalks and wash them in three changes of water.
• Chop all the greens roughly.
• Peel the ginger and garlic and slit the green chillies.

Steps

1. Put the chopped greens in a large pot with the ginger, garlic, chillies, 1 tsp salt and 500ml water.
2. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes until the greens are completely collapsed and army green.
3. Mash the greens with a wooden mathani or blitz them briefly with a stick blender, leaving some texture.
4. Sprinkle 4 tbsp maize flour over the mashed greens and whisk it in so no lumps form.
5. Simmer the saag uncovered on the lowest heat for 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes as it thickens and sweetens.
6. Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the cumin seeds.
7. Add the chopped onion and fry for 6 minutes until golden.
8. Stir in the ginger garlic paste, then the tomato, and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
9. Add the chilli powder, garam masala and 1/2 tsp salt and fry for 30 seconds.
10. Pour the whole tadka into the saag and stir it through, then leave it on low heat while you make the rotis.
11. Mix 300g maize flour with 1/2 tsp salt and add hot water gradually, working it with a spoon until cool enough to handle.
12. Knead the dough for 3 minutes until it holds together without cracking badly.
13. Take a ball of dough and pat it out to a 15cm disc between two sheets of greaseproof paper, patching cracks at the edge with your fingers.
14. Heat a tawa over medium heat and lay the roti on it, peeling the paper away.
15. Cook for 2 minutes until the underside is speckled, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes.
16. Smear the roti with ghee, press it down once more, and stack it under a cloth.
17. Serve the saag in bowls with a spoon of white butter melting on top and the hot makki rotis alongside.