DDLJ.Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. The movie that catapulted SRK into the major league and lodged him in that fast-beating,silly heart of mine!
Oh yeah..he sent my heart all pitter patter with his boyish charm and those gorgeous dimples...
When I think DDLJ there are two images that instantly crop up in my mind..
#1. The train scene obv..where SRK helps Kajol by pulling her into the train
#2. The swaying mustard fields that form the backdrop of the ever soulful "tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam"....
Yes, I am talking food now. Sarson or mustard...the quintessential Punjabi khaana.
Make this winter must "Sarson da saag" and "Makki di roti" with white butter for a taste and feel of the dhadakta dil of India, Dilli..and Punjab!
This is a typical winter dish given that the mustard greens can be found aplenty in this season...and man..I wait every winter for them to flood the markets.
Though this isn't a dish I grew up on, it is on eof my husband's utter favorites..and something that still makes that strong,silent heart of his go pitter patter ;)
Memories of his grandma is what this dish is all about... and of his youth.. his days spent in Delhi, devouring these in the winter alongwith gajar ka halwa.
When I had my first taste of it in a restaurant,I was hooked onto it.Ever since that day, I have been making this..and we have loved every little spoonful of it.
Its certainly an easy dish..but it does take time. So make sure you buy your greens fresh and before time..and start making it well in time for lunch.
RECIPE:
Ingredients:
- 1KG of Sarson .Please discard all big leaves at the bottom. You may however use the tender leaves on the crown of the plant.
- 1 KG Fresh Palak. Make a bunch of the leaves and chop off all the stems ,at one go.
- 1/2 KG Bathu . Use the leaves and not the stems
- 2 whole peeled Garlic
- 4 Green chillies.
- 1/4 a glass water.
- Salt to taste
- Ginger julienned
- Asoefitida (Hing) a big pinch
Method:
- Prepare the greens in the way mentioned above.Then wash them properly ,in free flowing fresh water.
- Place a pressure cooker on the gas , add about ½ to 1 glass of water to it and let it boil.
- Make the Stove sim
- Then start cutting your greens very very finely and keep adding to the cooker. By the time you are done cutting the saag, the one in the cooker would be cooking and you will manage the whole lot in a 5kg cooker , very easily.
- Add the garlic.
- Just break all the chillies into two and also add.
- Add salt
- Now close the cooker . After the first whistle , turn gas to Sim and let thesaag cook for 45 minutes to 1 hr.
- My nose tells me when its done ! That is generally between 45min and 1 hour.
- Turn the gas off.
- Let the saag cool off.
- Now open it ,take a Madhani ,( or a wooden masher ) and give your saag a good mash.
- Because , you have used the sarson,palak and Bathu , your saag would already be very buttery and soft.
- Now take a pan . Put a good dollop of Desi Ghee in it .
- Take a large finely diced Onion and a 3 inch piece of fresh Ginger ,very very finely diced. Make a tadka with it .
- I add some more green chillies at this time .
- No Garlic in the tadka.Dont brown the onion ,
- Just let the fresh fragrance emanate and add your nicely “ghuta hua “saag to the tadka. .
- Keep mashing with the Madhani.
- It should be bubbling …when you add a good three heaped Kadchis of makki ka aata to the saag . We call it "Allan". Keep the madhani going through the process .
- It should be buttery ,smooth and and the mixture should have a uniform texture.
- The gas on Sim , cover and let it just blend and imbibe all the flavors.
- When ready to serve, make a quick tadka by heating some ghee, hing and ginger juliennes..add to the saag and serve hot , with white butter and Makki Di Roti.
- This saag is even yummier the next day .
- Just remember to give it a fresh ,pyaaz and adrak ka tadka.
- Enjoy.
Love,
S :)
S :)