Punjabi Sarson Ka Saag (Greens and Spices)

[Stevyn]

Punjabi Sarson Ka Saag (Greens and Spices)

A typical Punjabi (North Indian) dish, sarson ka saag is made with wilted greens and is commonly served over flatbread, such as makki ki roti (Indian maize flatbread), as well as a dollop of fresh butter.


Sarson ka saag is common in Pakistan as well as northern India. It is a sabzi, which means it incorporates leafy parts of vegetables and herbs. Many dishes from this region of India are made with dairy, and several are curry recipes where the food is cooked in a gravy. North Indian cuisine has been strongly influenced by the cuisine from central Asia as compared to southern Indian foods.

Ingredients
1 bunch (1/2 pound) spinach (washed and finely chopped)
1 bunch (1/2 pound) mustard greens (washed and finely chopped)
2 green chilies
Dash of salt, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
1 large onion (grated)
1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
1 tablespoon grated garlic or garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon lime juice (juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon)
1 tablespoon Bengal gram flour or maize flour
Garnish: Unsalted butter
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.


In a medium pot, mix the spinach, mustard greens, green chilies, and salt to taste. Add 1 cup water and boil until cooked.


Mash the greens and mix well to make a coarse paste.


In another pan, heat the ghee on a medium flame. When hot, add the grated onion and fry until a pale golden color.

Add the remaining ingredients and fry until the oil separates from the masala (onion-spice mix).

Add the greens to this and stir until fully blended.

Garnish with a dollop of butter and serve with makki ki roti (Indian maize flatbread).

Enjoy!

Tips for Cleaning Greens
The most time-consuming part of this recipe may be washing and chopping the greens, but by following a few steps the task will be efficient. First, take the bunches of spinach and mustard greens, one at a time, and lay on a cutting board. Chop off 1 to 2 inches of stem to remove any tough parts and make the greens more uniform in size. Submerge the loose leaves in a bowl of cold water and briefly swish them around to help remove any dirt. Remove the bunch from the bowl, dump the water (along with the dirt particles), and repeat the process until the water is clean. This can range from 2 rinsings to as many as 4, depending on how dirty the bunches are, to begin with. (Sometimes vegetables from farm stands are sold with a bit of the soil.)

Since in this recipe you are cooking the greens in water you don't need to dry them before chopping. To cut the spinach and mustard greens into fine pieces, gather the bunch (or a portion if too large) with one hand, lay on the cutting board, and, with the other hand, chop into small pieces using a sharp knife.

Recipe Variations
Sarson ka saag is the perfect base for adding other ingredients to make the dish more substantial. To keep it vegetarian, add fried cubes of paneer cheese, or for a one-dish meal, incorporate cooked chicken or lamb. Feel free to incorporate other greens often a part of this recipe such as radish greens, Chenopodium, and fenugreek leaves, if you can find them.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/sarson-ka-saag-1957985