Sarson da Saag

Ingredients

• 5 cups washed and chopped mustard leaves (sarson ke patte)
• 5 cups washed and chopped spinach (palak)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. roughly chopped green chillies
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger (adrak)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder , optional
• salt to taste

Method

1. To make sarson ka saag, boil enough water in a deep non-stick pan, add the mustard leaves, spinach and green chillies, mix well and cook on a high flame for 4 to 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
2. Strain using a strainer and drain well.
3. Refresh it twice in enough cold water immediately and drain well again. Keep aside for 2 to 3 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Blend in a mixer to a coarse mixture using ½ cup of water. Keep aside.
5. Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai and add the cumin seeds.
6. When the seeds crackle, add the garlic, ginger and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
7. Add the onions and again sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Add the mustard leaves-spinach mixture, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
9. Serve the sarson ka saag hot with makai ki roti.

Makki Ki Roti

Ingredients

• 2 cups maize flour (makai ka atta)
• salt to taste
• maize flour (makai ka atta) for rolling
• butter for smearing

Makes 10 Roti

Methods

1. To make makki ki roti, combine the maize flour and salt and knead into firm dough using enough warm water.
2. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and roll out each portion into a 125 mm. (5″) diameter circle with the help of a little maize flour for rolling.
4. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) on a high flame and when hot, place the roti gently over it.
5. Cook it till small blisters appear on the surface. Turn over the roti and cook for few more seconds.
6. Cook it on an open flame till it puffs up and brown spots appear on both the sides.
7. Repeat with the remaining dough portions to make 9 more makki ki rotis.
8. Smear butter on top of the makki ki roti and serve hot.

Peanut Chikki

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped jaggery (gur)
• 2 cups roasted peanut halves

Methods

1. To make peanut chikki, heat an aluminium kadhai on a high flame.
2. Add the jaggery, mix well and cook on a high flame for 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.
3. Lower the flame to slow and keep stirring continuously for 3 minutes, till it forms foam and changes the colour.
4. Switch off the flame and keep stirring for few more seconds.
5. Add the roasted peanuts and mix very well.
6. Put it on a greased platform, while mixing it upside down using a flat ladle.
7. Pat the mixture, with greased hands and roll it using a greased rolling pin to make 275 mm. (11”) diameter circle.
8. While rolling make sure it does not stick on the platform. If it sticks, loosen it using a flat ladle, and roll again.
9. Cut immediately using a sharp knife into equal squares. Cool completely.
10. Break the peanut chikki into pieces and store it in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.