Sarso Ka Saag Recipe

Winter is at its peak and this week was comparatively harsh here in Gurgaon , with most of the schools closed down for 2 days. Such weather calls for food that provide warmth and energy to the body. While piping hot bowl of soup warm up our evenings , during the day time i cook elaborate meals . One such winter delicacy is Sarson Ka Saag and Makki Ki Roti.

Sarson Ka Saag needs no introduction . A very popular North Indian vegetarian recipe that tastes best when served with Makki Ki Roti ( a flat bread made from Maize flour) topped with dollop of desi ghee (homemade clarified butter). Sarson in Hindi means mustard and Saag means greens. So basically Sarson ka sag is a gravy made from Mustard leaves and spices. To cut down the bitter taste of mustard leaves and also to enhance the nutritional value and taste, other greens like Spinach (Palak) and Chinopodium (Bathua) are also added to this curry. 

Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki roti is classic duo from the Punjabi Cuisine. One can find this combo in almost every dhaba and restaurant in North India , especially during winter season. I am surrounded by North Indians in my neighbourhood who relish on this dish almost everyday for their breakfast and i am lucky to get my share without taking any labour to make this scrumptious spread. I learnt making this dish from one of my neighbour and tried at home for the first time. The dish turned out to be a treat to our taste buds and we ended up asking for more. 

Sarson ka Saag is a luscious green gravy rich in vitamins. Making this dish requires both time and patience , as sorting the greens  and chopping them takes most of the time. As such the recipe is very easy to follow and the end results are worth the time. I have used Mustard greens, Spinach and Chinopodium in this recipe and cooked the gravy in pure ghee. After the greens are sorted, washed and chopped, they are cooked thoroughly and then blended with maize flour and spices and then simmered again to get a creamy flavorful saag loaded with healthy goodness of winter greens.

Click on the highlighted words for the link to the recipe of Makki Ki Roti . 

Servings: 5

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients for Sarson Ka Saag:

• 1 bunch Mustard leaves (Sarson)
• 1/2 bunch Spinach (Palak)
• 1/2 bunch Chinopodium ( Bathua)
• 4 green chilies, finely chopped or as per the desired spiciness
• 2 inch Ginger piece, finely chopped
• 2 large Onions, finely chopped
• 1 large Tomato finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon Maize flour ( Makai ka atta)
• 1 teaspoon red Chilly powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
• 3 tablespoon Ghee (clarified butter)

  Method:

1. Sort and wash the greens thoroughly to get rid of all the dirt.

   2. Finely chop all the greens separately.

   3. Transfer the chopped greens to the pressure cooker along with half of the green chilies and enough water ( i added 3 cups of water). Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles and then simmer for 10 minutes. Traditionally the greens are cooked in a pan for long hours.

  4. Open the lid when all the pressure has been released. Add the maize flour to the cooked greens and blend well with a big ladle while still hot. If the greens are finely chopped the mixture will appear creamy after this step. 

  5. Allow the greens to simmer in the same pressure cooker without lid. Add 1/2 cup water or more if the mixture appears to be dry. Keep stirring occasionally.

 6. In another pan , heat the ghee and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds crackle , add the chopped ginger , remaining green chilies and asafoetida and saute for 1 minute or so.

  7. Add the chopped onions and fry until they are light brown.

  8. Now add the tomatoes and stir fry the mixture for another 1 minute.

  9. Add the spice powders and mix them well with the onions and tomatoes. Stir fry for a while.

   10. Add the greens which have been simmering for a while now. Blend everything very well. (Add water to adjust the required consistency of the gravy if needed). 

  11. Add salt and allow the gravy to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Put off the flame.

   12. Serve the delicious Sarson ka saag piping hot with Makki Ki Roti topped with dollop of home made butter or ghee and salad (whole green chilies, radish and onions).

  Notes:

• You can add grated radish and chopped radish greens also while cooking the greens.
• After the greens have been cooked, you can puree them in a grinder if you wish to have a smooth gravy. I have not purred.

Do try out this recipe if you liked it. Would love to hear from you.

For more such green curry recipes , do check my posts on

• Palak Paneer
• Methi Matar Malai
• Chane ka Saag