Sarson Ka Saag Recipe

I learned this saag by pestering chefs. It was peak winter in Ludhiana; I was in town for a dental conference, and every restaurant I walked into had sarson ka saag on the menu. By the end of that trip, I knew their secret, and it wasn’t a spice.

The secret is the ratio of greens. Every chef I spoke to used almost the same ingredients. What set the best saag apart was how much mustard went in compared to everything else.

My mom never made sarson ka saag, so I had no family recipe to fall back on. I took what those chefs shared, tested it again and again at home, and landed on the version below. I’ll say it plainly: I haven’t eaten a better saag than this one.

What Is Sarson Ka Saag?

Sarson=Mustard and Saag=Greens.

Sarson ka saag is a slow-cooked Punjabi curry of mustard greens (sarson) blended with spinach, fenugreek, and other winter greens. It’s thickened with a little makki ka atta (maize flour) and finished with a ghee tadka, which means hot ghee with onion and garlic poured over the dish at the end. In Punjab, it’s the winter meal, served with makki ki roti, white butter, and a piece of jaggery.

Traditionally, the green leaves were cooked for hours over a slow wood fire and churned with a wooden whisk called Mathani. The process was called ‘Ghotna’. It took a lot of time to get the saag to the right consistency. But now, with blenders readily available, you can blend the saag much more quickly.

You can cook the leaves in a traditional pressure cooker, an Instant Pot, or in a pot over the stovetop. I am sharing all the methods in the post below.

I have also perfected my saag gosht and saag paneer recipes over the years. Do give them a try as well.

How To Make Punjabi Sarson Saag

Preparation

Start by preparing the green leaves. Pluck the leaves from the stem and discard the thick stems. Measure the following green leafy vegetables.

• 200 g mustard leaves (sarson)
• 35 g spinach (palak)
• 35 g radish greens (mooli ke patte) or collard greens
• 35 g chenopodium (bathua), optional
• 35 g fenugreek leaves (methi)

Wash the leaves 2 to 3 times in plenty of water, then drain well. Leafy vegetables hold a lot of mud around the stems, so don’t rush this part.

Cook the Greens

In A Pressure Cooker

Step 1: Add the washed greens to a large pressure cooker and press them down so they fit. You don’t need to chop them, because everything gets blended later. They shrink a lot once cooked.

Step 2: Add the following ingredients to the cooker.

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• ¼ cup peeled and chopped radish
• 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water

Step 3: Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for one whistle on high heat.

Step 4: Take the cooker off the heat and let the pressure release naturally, then open the lid. The greens finish softening in the trapped steam, so one whistle is enough. Let them cool slightly. Blending very hot greens can cause the blender lid to come off.

Instant Pot method: Follow Steps 1-3 in the inner pot. Close the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 2 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest manually. Cool slightly.

Stovetop method: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the greens and vegetables, and press them under the water with a ladle. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let it cool slightly.

Blend The Greens

Step 5: Add the cooked greens to a large blender jar along with all the cooking water. That water carries a lot of the flavor, so don’t drain it.

Step 6: Blend to make a coarse paste. I like my saag a little coarse, the way it turns out when it’s churned by hand. Traditionally, this churning was done with a wooden whisk called a mathani, and the process was called ghotna. If you prefer it smooth, blend longer.

Make The Saag

Step 7: Transfer the paste to the same pressure cooker or another pan.

Step 8: Dissolve 2 tablespoon makki ka atta (cornmeal or maize flour) in ½ cup of water, then add it to the cooker. Mix it with water first, because dry flour dropped into hot saag turns into lumps.

Step 9: Add 1 teaspoon of red chili powder and ¼ teaspoon of asafetida and mix well.

Step 10: Cook for 10-12 minutes on medium heat. This cooks off the raw taste of the maize flour and lets the saag thicken. Stir now and then, because it bubbles and can splatter.

If the saag is too thick for your liking, add some water and cook for a minute. If it’s too thin, then cook it for an additional 5-6 minutes until the consistency is right. Check for salt and add more if required.

Temper The Saag

Step 11: Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a small pan over medium heat.

Step 12: Once the ghee is hot, add ¼ cup of finely chopped onions and 5-6 garlic cloves (smashed), and fry until golden brown. Keep stirring while frying. Garlic goes from golden to bitter quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Step 13: Pour the tadka over the saag and mix. Keep a spoonful aside to spoon over the top when serving. Serve hot with makki ki roti, jaggery and white butter.

Variations

Saag with paneer: Stir in fried paneer cubes after the tadka.

Saag with beans: Add cooked rajma or chole to make it more filling.

Non-vegetarian saag: Add cooked chicken or mutton pieces during the final simmer.

Turnip saag: Use turnip instead of radish for a sharper, earthier bite.

No onion, no garlic: Skip both, and temper with ginger and a pinch of hing in ghee.

Serving Suggestions

Makki ki roti with sarson ka saag is a match made in heaven. Add white butter, jaggery, and sliced onions on the side.

It also works well with any Indian bread, such as a plain tawa paratha or missi roti. I like to serve mooli ka laccha alongside for crunch.

Storage Suggestions

Sarson ka saag tastes best the day you make it, with the tadka poured on fresh.

Leftover saag keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, and the flavor actually deepens after a day.

To reheat, warm only what you plan to serve in a pan over low heat. Add a splash of hot water if it has thickened, and heat in a pan or microwave until nicely hot. You can give it a fresh tempering to refresh the taste.

For a make-ahead winter stash, freeze the saag before tempering for up to 2 months. Thaw it, reheat it in a pan, and finish with a fresh ghee tadka.