Sarson Ka Saag is a traditional Punjabi dish made using mustard greens and other leafy vegetables and a delicious tempering of onion and garlic in ghee. Served with a dollop of White Butter (Makkhan) and crispy warm Makki Ki Roti, this dish is soul-warming.
35gramsradish greens (mooli ke patte)or turnip greens
35gramschenopodium (bathua)
35gramsfenugreek leaves (methi)
1cupchopped tomatoes
1cupchopped onions
¼cupchopped radishor turnip
1inchchopped ginger
8-10cloveschopped garlic
2-3chopped green chilies
1teaspoonred chili powder
¼teaspoonasafoetida (hing)
1teaspoonsalt or to taste
2tablespoonscorn meal (makki ka atta)
For tempering
2tablespoonsclarified butter (ghee)
¼cupfinely chopped onions
3-4clovessmashed garlic cloves
Instructions
Preparation
Pluck the leaves from the stem and discard the thick stems.
Measure 200 g mustard leaves (sarson), 35 g spinach (palak), 35 g radish greens (mooli ke patte), 35 g chenopodium (bathua), and 35 g fenugreek leaves (methi).
Note – If you don’t have any of the above-mentioned greens, then just skip adding them.
Wash the leaves thoroughly 2-3 times with water to get rid of any mud in them.
Drain well.
Cook the Greens
Add the washed greens to a large pressure cooker. Press the green so that they fit in the cooker.
They will be reduced drastically in volume once cooked.
Since we will be blending the greens in a blender later, you don’t have to chop them.
Add tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, radish, chilies, salt, and a cup of water to the cooker.
Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for one whistle on high heat.
Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Once the pressure is released, open the lid of the cooker. Let the greens cool down slightly.
Blend The Greens
Transfer the cooked and cooled greens to the large jar of a blender along with the leftover water.
Blend to make a coarse paste (I like my saag a little coarse. If you like it smooth, blend the greens until smooth).
Make The Saag
Transfer the paste to the same pressure cooker or another pan.
Dissolve makki ka atta (maize flour) in ½ cup water and add it to the cooker.
Add red chili powder and asafoetida and mix well.
Cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
If the saag is thick for your liking, then add some water to it and cook for a minute. If it’s too thin, then cook it for 5-6 minutes until the consistency is right.
Check for salt and add more if required.
Temper The Saag
Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
Once the ghee is hot, add onions and garlic and fry till golden brown. Keep stirring while frying.
Pour the tadka over the saag and mix well. Serve hot with makke ki roti, jaggery, and white butter.
Cook the Greens In An Instant PotAdd the washed greens to the inner pot of the instant pot. Press the green so that they fit in the pot.They will be reduced drastically in volume once cooked.Since we will be blending the greens in a blender later, you don’t have to chop them.Add tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, radish, chilies, salt, and ½ cup of water to the instant pot.Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 2 minutes at high pressure.Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot. Let the greens cool down slightly.Cook the Greens In A PotBring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.Once it comes to a boil, add the ingredients and press them with a ladle to cover with water.Reduce the heat to low.Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes.Remove the pot from heat and let the greens cool down slightly.NotesThis recipe can be easily scaled up or down as per your requirement.While mustard leaves are a must, you can always skip one or two other greens in this recipe if you can’t find them.You can always adjust the green chilies and red chili powder as per your liking.You can add cubed and fried paneer pieces to your saag.You can add any beans like rajma or chole to it to make it more filling.Add cooked chicken or mutton pieces to your saag to make a non-vegetarian version.