3 Scrumptious Punjabi Recipes That Will Make Your Mouth Water

From Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti to Pindi Chana, these appetising, traditional food items are delicacies you can devour for any meal. These authentic Punjabi recipes by Chef Anand Rawat, Corporate Head Chef at Noormahal Palace Hotel, Karnal are easy to make and perfect for the winter season.

Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti

There's no match for Makki ki Roti and Sarson da Saag. The traditional yet flavorful combination is going to make your winter dinner a hit.

Ingredients for Saag

• 750 gms of sarson saag

• 250 gms of palak saag

• 250 gms of bathua saag

• 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt

• 1 and a 1/2 cup of makka atta

• 4 green chillies

• 25 gms of ginger

• 2 onions

• 6 garlic cloves

• 100 gms of ghee

• 1/2 tsp of red pepper powder

• 1/2 tsp of garam masala

• 1/2 tsp of coriander powder

Ingredients for Makki Ki Roti

• 1/2 kg of makka atta

• Water (for kneading)

• Ghee

Method

For Sarson Saag:

• Add the three saags, salt and water into the pressure cooker & cook over low heat for 1.5 hours.

• Squeeze out the saag and keep the saag water aside. Mash the saag in the cooker until coarsely grounded, and add the makka atta and stir.

• Put back the saag water and a little fresh water and boil over a slow flame.

• Add green chillies and ginger. Cook till the saag gets thick.

• For tadka, add chopped onions, ginger, garlic, red pepper powder, garam masala, dhania & saute until onions are light brown.

• Mix into the saag and garnish with julienne of ginger fried in ghee.

For Makki Ki Roti:

• Knead the makka atta until it becomes a ball, and add atta to dry it. Knead more.

• Heat the tava and add a little ghee so that it does not stick.

• Make round shapes of makki ki roti on chakla and carefully transfer it to the tava.

• Cook with ghee till golden brown.

Serve with hot sarson da saag, gur, and white butter.

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Pindi Chana

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chickpeas (Kabuli Chana)

• 2 tea bags

• 1/2 tsp of baking soda

• 1 tsp of salt

Ingredients for Potli Masala (To be tied in a muslin cloth)

• 1 tsp of amla pieces

• 2 brown cardamoms (Badi Elaichi)

• 2 to 3 cloves (Laung)

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 bay leaf (Tej Patta)

• 2 to 3 green cardamoms (Choti Elaichi)

Ingredients to be dry roasted

• 1 tbsp of pomegranate seeds

• 1 tbsp of cumin seeds

• 2 tbsp of coriander seeds

• 1/2 tsp of ajwain (Carom Seeds)

Ingredients for final preparation

• 1 tsp of amchoor powder (dry mango powder)

• 1/2 to 1 tsp of red chilli powder

• 2 tsp of kashmiri red chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp of garam masala

• 1 tsp of black salt (Kala Namak)

• 1/4 tsp of hing (Asafoetida)

• 1 tsp of kasoori methi (Dry Fenugreek Leaves)

• 2-inch ginger chopped

• Salt to taste

• 1/4 cup of ghee

• 1 /4 cup of oil

• Lemon wedges

• 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves

Method

• Wash and soak chole/ chickpeas in water overnight or for about 8 hrs.

• In case you forgot to soak the chole overnight, soak them in hot water for 2 hrs; keep covered.

• In a pressure cooker, put overnight soaked chole, salt, potli masala tied in a muslin cloth, teabags and baking soda. Add four cups of water and put on the lid. On a high flame, cook the chole for six to seven whistles.

• If you do not have tea bags, you can use 1 tsp of tea leaves tied in a cheesecloth just like the potli masala.

• Switch off the flame and let the pressure release on its own. In case you do not wish to add baking soda then give additional three to four whistles.

• Meanwhile, dry roast on low flame all ingredients under the roasted section. Keep stirring constantly to make sure you do not burn them, otherwise chana will taste bitter. When it cools down, grind it into a fine masala.

• When the pressure releases from the cooker naturally, remove all the amla, tea leaves and dry khada masala (whole spices). Strain the chole in a separate vessel but do not throw away the water. This reserved water will be used later.

• Now in a separate big bowl, add the boiled chana, 2 tbsp of dry roasted and grinded masala, coriander powder, garam masala, mango powder, black salt, hing, crushed kasoori methi and red chilli powder. Mix well to coat every chana. Add the slit chillies and ginger. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.

• Next in a kadai, preferably an iron one to get that dark black colour, heat the oil and ghee together and then add the chole mixture. At this stage, add some of the reserved boiled chole water and mix it gently. Now on low flame, keep cooking the chole and adding the boiled chole water in batches to get that semi-thick consistency.

• Let it simmer on low heat until the oil separates and you get the right consistency.

• To get a darker colour, leave the cooked chole in the iron kadai for a longer time.

• Now dish out the pindi chana in a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves, onion, tomato slices, shredded ginger and lemon wedges.

Rawalpindi-style pindi chana recipe is ready.

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Murmura Ladoo

Ingredients

• 50 gms or 3 cups of murmura

• 125 gms or 1 cup of chopped jaggery

• 1 tsp of ghee

Method

• In a pan, dry roast three cups of murmura on a low flame till it becomes crispy. Keep it aside.

• Now in the same pan, add 1 tsp of ghee and add one cup of jaggery.

• Keep stirring on medium flame till the jaggery melts completely.

• Boil the jaggery syrup on a low flame till the syrup turns glossy and thickens.

• Check the consistency by dropping the syrup into a bowl of water, it should form a hardball.

• Switch off the gas and add roasted murmura. Stir well making sure the jaggery syrup coats completely.

• Then immediately roll the ladoo with slightly wet hands. Be quick else the mixture cools down and it will be difficult to roll the ladoo.

• For murmura chikki, pour gud and murmura mixture into the greasy palate and when it is still warm cut it into pieces. Then cool down the chikki for at least 30 minutes. The murmura chikki is ready.

Serve murmura ladoo and chikki, or store it in an airtight container for a month.