Sarson Ka Saag
Traditional Punjabi mustard-greens curry — healthy, easy to cook, and perfect with makki ki roti.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash mustard leaves and spinach thoroughly under running water to remove soil and grit. Chop them roughly, including tender stems.
- In a pressure cooker (or heavy pot), add chopped greens, ginger, garlic, green chillies and a little water (about ¼ cup). Cook until greens are soft — roughly 3-4 whistles if using cooker or 10-12 minutes in a pot.
- Once cooked, mash the greens roughly with a ladle or potato masher — do not make a fine paste; coarse texture is traditional.
- Return the mashed greens to the cooker or pot, add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. If mixture looks too thin, sprinkle makki ka atta and stir to thicken. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- In a small pan, heat ghee or oil. Add a crushed garlic clove and sauté until light golden, then pour this tempering over the saag. Mix gently.
- Turn off heat, cover and let saag rest for a minute. Serve hot with makki ki roti or bajra roti. Optionally top with a small dollop of white butter for authentic taste.
Notes
For a smoother texture, you can blend the cooked greens lightly — but avoid over-blending. Using minimal ghee helps keep the dish light and healthy. Leftover saag can be refrigerated for 4–5 days; reheat before serving.