Some meals belong to a season. For our family, winter truly arrives the day the first bundles of sarson (mustard greens) come home from the mandi. The whole day becomes about the saag: washing the huge pile of leaves, chopping, and then letting the pot bubble slowly for hours. By evening the house smells of garlic and ghee, and everyone is waiting at the table.
Most people eat sarson ka saag with makai ki roti, but in our home we love it with soft chawal ki roti (rice flour roti), topped with a generous spoon of white butter, exactly as you see in my photo above: a bowl of dark green saag with melting makhan, and a stack of freshly made rice rotis with golden tawa marks and butter on top.
Why You Will Love This Sarson ka Saag
- Balanced, not bitter: I cook sarson with palak and a little bathua, which softens the sharp mustard taste.
- Proper village-style texture: mashed, not blended smooth, so every spoonful still has body.
- A garlicky ghee tarka: the finishing tarka is what makes the saag taste like home.
- Chawal ki roti: soft, naturally gluten-free, and perfect for scooping up saag and butter.
Ingredients You Will Need
The full list with exact quantities is in the recipe card below. A few notes from my kitchen:
- Sarson: choose fresh, tender bunches with thin stems. Thick, woody stems should be peeled or removed.
- Palak and bathua: about 4 parts sarson to 1 part palak is my balance. Bathua is optional but adds a lovely earthy taste.
- Makai ka atta: maize flour thickens the saag and gives it its traditional taste. Fine cornmeal works too.
- Rice flour: use fine rice flour (chawal ka atta). The water must be hot, not warm, to make the dough soft.
- White butter and desi ghee: don’t skip them. They are part of the dish, not just a garnish.
How to Clean Sarson Properly
Sarson from the field always carries mud and sand. Remove any yellow leaves and thick stems, then soak the leaves in a big tub of water, lift them out, and change the water. Repeat 3 to 4 times until no sand is left at the bottom of the tub. Chop the leaves roughly; they will cook down to a fraction of their size.
My Tips for the Best Saag and Roti
- Cook it low and slow. Saag needs at least an hour on low heat to become soft and sweet. My grandmother used to cook it for half the day.
- Add makai ka atta slowly. Sprinkle it a little at a time while stirring, so it doesn’t form lumps.
- Knead the roti dough while warm. Rice flour has no gluten, so the hot water and warm kneading are what hold it together.
- Pat, don’t stretch. Shape chawal ki roti between your palms or between two plastic sheets. If the edges crack, the dough needs a few more drops of hot water.
For a detailed step-by-step guide to rice flour, including how to fix a cracking dough, see my complete rice flour roti guide.
How to Serve Sarson ka Saag
Serve the saag piping hot with a big spoon of white butter melting on top, with chawal ki roti or makai ki roti on the side. A glass of lassi, a few slices of raw onion and a piece of gur (jaggery) after the meal make it a true winter feast. If you love winter greens, also try my aloo cholai saag with bajra roti and my aloo methi gajar matar.
Storage and Freezing
Sarson ka saag keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and freezes very well for up to 2 months, so I always make a big batch. Reheat it in a pan and add a fresh tarka and butter before serving. Chawal ki roti is best eaten fresh and hot. For more on safe storage times, see my food storage guide.
Sarson ka Saag with Chawal ki Roti
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put the sarson, palak, bathua, green chillies, garlic, ginger, salt and water in a large heavy pot. Cover and cook on low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring now and then, until the greens are completely soft and dark.
- Mash the greens with a wooden ghotni (masher) or pulse a few times with a hand blender. Keep some texture; saag should not be a smooth puree.
- Sprinkle the makai ka atta over the saag a little at a time, stirring well so no lumps form. Cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens and the raw flour smell goes.
- Heat the ghee in a small pan. Fry the onion until golden, then add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry for 1 minute. Add the red chilli powder if using.
- Pour the tarka over the saag, mix well and cook for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Mix the rice flour and salt in a bowl. Slowly add the hot water, stirring with a spoon, until it comes together. Cover for 5 minutes.
- Add the ghee and knead with slightly wet hands into a soft, smooth dough. Divide into 6 to 8 balls.
- Pat each ball out between your palms or roll between two sheets of plastic into a thick roti.
- Cook on a hot tawa for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until light brown spots appear. Keep warm in a cloth.
- Serve the hot saag in a bowl with plenty of white butter on top, alongside the warm chawal ki roti with a little butter spread over it.
Notes
- Balance the bitterness: sarson alone can taste sharp. Palak and bathua soften it. Use about 4 parts sarson to 1 part palak.
- Slow is the secret: saag tastes best when cooked long on low heat. It tastes even better the next day.
- Rice flour roti: the water must be hot, and the dough should be kneaded while warm. For more detail, see my full rice flour roti guide.
- Storage: saag keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and freezes well for 2 months. Add fresh tarka and butter when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my sarson ka saag bitter?
Sarson on its own is sharp. Add palak (and bathua if you can find it), cook it long on low heat, and finish with ghee and butter. All of these soften the bitterness.
Can I make sarson ka saag in a pressure cooker?
Yes. Pressure cook the greens with water and spices for about 20 minutes, then mash and continue with the makai ka atta and tarka. The taste is slightly less deep than slow cooking, but still very good.
Why does my chawal ki roti break?
Usually the water was not hot enough, or the dough was too dry. Use water just off the boil and knead while the dough is still warm. Add a few drops of hot water if the edges crack.
Is chawal ki roti gluten-free?
Yes, rice flour is naturally gluten-free, which makes this meal a good choice for anyone avoiding wheat.
If you make my sarson ka saag with chawal ki roti, please tell me in the comments. How much butter did you put on top?
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