Sarson Da Saag (Sarson Ka Saag)

This delicious vegetarian traditional Punjabi recipe is made with mix / medley of healthy winter greens i.e. fresh mustard leaves, Spinach and Pigweed Leaves, that are cooked till wilted, then pureed to a coarse mix, tempered with chopped onion, ginger, garlic and tomato puree. It is eaten with the rustic Makki Di Roti  (corn meal flatbread), served with or topped with generous amount of Desi Ghee / White butter, along with the whole green chillies, Masala gur and Ek mukka maar ke Gandda /Ek Mukka maar ke Pyaaz  i.e. in Punjab, the locals prefer to hit an onion on its crown with a folded fist, peel and then relish it with Sarson Da Saag the Makki Di Roti.

 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves:4

Ingredients and Quantity:

Fresh Mustard Leaves (Sarson leaves)- 05 bunches

Spinach (Palak)- 01 bunch

Pigweed Leaves (Bathua leaves)- 01 bunch

Onion- 01 no.

Green Chillies- 02 nos.

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Garlic- 08 cloves

Tomato puree – ½ cup

Salt- to taste

Makki-Ka-Atta (Maize Flour)- 01 tbsp.

Jaggery- 02 tsp.

Red Chilli Powder- 01 tsp.

Clarified Butter- 02 tbsp.

For the Garnish:

Clarified butter -1/2 tbsp

Sliced garlic- 1/4^th tbsp.

Dried red chillies, broken- 02 nos.

For the Topping:

Dollop of white butter

For the Sprinkling:

Punjabi Garam Masala- 1/4^th tsp.

Method:

Clean and wash the mustard leaves in running water.

Clean and wash the spinach and bathua in running water.

Roughly shred leaves and finely slice stems.

Discard the hard stems.

Remove and discard the stems and wash green chillies. Chop half of green chillies finely.

Scrape, wash and roughly cut the ginger,

Chop onions and garlic finely.

Put the mustard leaves, spinach and green chillies in a heavy bottomed deep  pot. Add roughly chopped ginger, salt and water.

Bring to a boil and simmer until tender ( Do not cover).

Churn and Pound to a coarse paste with a wooden Mathani (Wooden Whisk) while it is being cooked.

Return the coarsely ground saag to the pot, add makki-ka –atta , red chilli powder,  remaining chopped green chillies and grated jaggery. Mix Well

Return to heat add the reserved liquid.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

Heat Ghee  in a non-stick kadhai add chopped onion fry till translucent, add chopped garlic sauté till light golden brown, add roasted and crushed cumin, add red chilli powder .Sauté over medium heat add tomato puree sauté till ghee oozes out .

Bring the simmering sarson  ka saag to a boil and pour on the tempering, Stir.

Remove to a bowl

Heat the ghee in a small pan add the sliced garlic, light brown it add broken red chillies and pour over the saag, sprinkle it with garam masala powder.

Serve Sarson Ka Saag piping hot with Makki Ki Roti  with a dollop of white butter/ topped with white butter and along with onion, green chillies and Masala Gur.

Chef Tips:

1. Mustard leaves and spinach are blanched and cooked uncovered as green vegetables have volatile acids which should be allowed to escape or else the green vegetables lose their colour (become dull in colour) and tend to become bitter in taste. These acids need to escape hence mustard leaves and spinach is blanched or cooked uncovered.
2. You may garnish the cooked saag with juliennes of ginger ,if desired.
3. You may serve Radish Pickle / batons of peeled radish along with Sarson Da Saag te Makki Di Roti.