chefadora
Cooked sarson ka saag with makai ki roti and onions.

Sarson Ka Saag (Mustard Greens Curry)

by Leena Kohli (@leenakohli)
Prep Time
20min
Cook Time
1hr
Total Time
1hr 20min
IndianLunchDinnerVegetarian

Sarson Ka Saag is a delicious and creamy gravy winter dish, originating from the Punjab region of India. It is made with spinach and green leafy vegetables, which are cooked in ghee or oil and spices. Makai roti (Cornmeal flour) is the perfect accompaniment to make this dish more exciting.

Ingredients

6 Servings

For Boiling

  • 1kg
    Mustard Green Leaves (Sarson Ke Patte)
  • 250g
    Spinach (Palak)
  • 100g
    Chenopodium/Goosefoot Leaves (Bathua) (Optional)
  • 2tbsp
    Ginger (Chopped)
  • 2
    Onions (Roughly Chopped)
  • 8
    Garlic Cloves
  • 3
    Green Chillies
  • 1
    Cinnamon Stick
  • 2
    Bay Leaves
  • 1tbsp
    Salt
  • 1/2cup
    Water

For Tempering

  • 4
    Tomatoes (Chopped)
  • 4tbsp
    Ghee
  • 1tbsp
    Cumin Seeds
  • 1/8tsp
    Asafoetida (Hing)
  • 1tsp
    Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2tbsp
    Turmeric
  • 1tbsp
    Coriander Powder
  • 2tbsp
    Cornmeal (Makai Atta)

Method

  1. Separate leaves of bathua from stems. Wash and drain.

  2. Remove the hard stems from the bunch of mustard and spinach. Roughly chop the leaves along with the thin stems. Wash and drain the water and keep aside.

    Washed Mustard leaves in a strainer.

For Boiling

  1. Add all the leaves along with stems to the pressure cooker. Add the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt and water.

    Sliced onions garlic ginger and whole spices in the cooker.nion-Garlic-Green-Chilli-Bay-Leave-Ginger-Cinnamon.jpg

  2. Close the lid and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Let the steam release on its own.

  3. Open the cooker and let the greens cool completely. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the boiled leaves.

    Boiled and cooled leaves in the cooker.

  4. Blend the leaves with a blender till coarsely ground and keep aside for later use.

    Coarsely ground Leaves with a blender.

For Tempering

  1. Chop the tomatoes and keep them aside.

    Chopped tomatoes in a chopper.

  2. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed deep wok or the cooker on medium heat. Add cumin and asafoetida (Hing) and let it crackle.

    Tempered whole spices in oil.

  3. Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes on high flame till mushy.

    Chopped tomatoes with oil in a wok.

  4. Add red chilli powder, turmeric, and coriander powder. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.

    Powdered spices in cooked vegetables.

  5. Add makai atta and mix nicely for 3-4 minutes until oil oozes and leaves the sides of the wok.

    Cornmeal added in the tempering.
    Cooked tempered vegetables in a wok.

  6. Add the ground leaves and mix. Keep stirring and cook for 3-4 minutes on a high flame and then lower the flame.

    Ground leaves in the wok.

  7. Cover the wok and cook for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally in between so that the mix does not get burnt. Saag will start releasing ghee and leave the sides once done.

    Cooked Saag with ghee in a wok.

  8. Switch off the flame and add garam masala. Cover and let it rest for a few minutes.

  9. Serve hot with roti, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or makki ki roti.

Tips & Tricks

  1. Do not grind the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks with the leaves.

  2. You can freeze the saag for a month and use it when needed.

  3. You can use gram flour instead of cornmeal.

  4. You can use radish leaves instead of bathua.

  5. You can use a cup of puree instead of fresh tomatoes.

  6. You can use mustard oil/canola oil for tempering instead of ghee.

  7. Saag cooked on low heat results in a better creamy texture.

leenakohli's profile picture
instagram
Recipe by

Leena Kohli

(@leenakohli)

Elevate your confidence through the magic of home cooking with my easy-to-follow recipes 👩‍🍳✨

chefadora
© 2023 Chefadora Pty Ltd, All Rights Reserved
instagram