Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki roti is a winter staple combination.
My husband’s Nani (grandmother) makes the best saag and she always makes it when we visit Delhi during winters. I fell in love with it the very first time I tasted it. So here is the recipe that I asked my MIL to share so you guys can enjoy this delicious Punjabi saag recipe too!! Our other winter favorites recipes are - Methi Thepla, Palak Paneer Paratha Recipe, Gajar Halwa, and Til Chikki (Gajak). Definitely give these a try!
What is Sarson ka Saag
Sarson is known as mustard greens in English and saag is generally used for a spiced curry made of greens so Sarson ka saag is basically a spiced mustard greens curry. It is a winter recipe when Sarson leaves are in season and found in abundance in North India. It is also known as Sarson da saag, Sarhon Da Saag or Punjabi saag. Sarson on its own can be a bit bitter in taste hence it’s cooked with other greens like Bathua (Chenopodium or pigweed), spinach, methi (fenugreek leaves), and turnip leaves to balance the flavors. Sarson saag is a mildly spiced curry seasoned with very few spices that allow the flavor of the green to shine. Some find it slightly bitter due to the pungent mustard greens. But when cooked right this curry should not be bitter. It is dull green in color (like Mehendi) and may not look appealing to some but don’t let that fool you, it’s too delicious to not taste. Sarson da saag is not just delicious but healthy too! It’s a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins like A, C, K, and E along with phytonutrients. It’s a good source of dietary fiber and iron too!
To make Sarso ka saag
You first start with cleaning the greens. The greens carry a lot of mud and dirt, so it’s important to clean them, remove any thick, hard stems and chop them roughly. Then the greens are cooked with ginger, garlic, green chilli, salt and water until nice and soft. Traditionally these greens were cooked on the stovetop (without a pressure cooker) in a large pot or earthen pots until soft and then crushed to a coarse texture using a Mathani or ghotni (wooden whisk beater). Nowadays, the greens are pressure cooked and then pureed to smooth or coarse texture using a hand blender or regular blender. I prefer mine slightly coarse. Pureed saag is further simmered until it thickens. Some Makki atta (corn flour or maize flour) is added to it which helps thicken the saag along with adding flavor. The final touch is a tadka made in ghee of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and spices. Delicious Saag is ready!!
Recipe Ingredients
For Saag - I’ve used mustard greens along with other greens like collard, spinach, and turnip leaves, garlic cloves, ginger, green chilies and salt.
Traditionally, the greens used are Sarson (mustard greens), Bathua (Chenopodium or pigweed), methi leaves (fenugreek), turnip leaves (or radish leaves), and spinach (palak).
The ratio is typically 1:1 for mustard greens to other greens combined. So for example, if you use 1 kg of mustard greens, use 1 kg of other greens in the following ratio - 0.5 kg of spinach, 0.25 kg of Bathua, and the remaining 0.125 kg each of methi and turnip leaves.
I’ve never been able to find Bathua here so I skip it. Instead, I make saag with what is available.
Fresh Mustard greens bunch is available in most grocery stores like Walmart and sprouts so I use that.
For other greens, I use baby spinach along with a mixed bag of greens (from Walmart) which has mustard greens, collard greens, and turnip greens.
Trader joes also carry a blend of greens (mustard, collard, turnip, and spinach) which can also be used.
On days when I don’t find fresh mustard leaves I just use these mixed greens packets to make saag. Its precut so just wash and use.
For Tadka - This is a basic Punjabi tadka of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and spices made in ghee. Very few spices are used like red chili (whole and powder), hing, garam masala, and coriander powder.
Step by Step Method
To pressure cook the saag
1 - Remove the thick portion of the stems and wash the greens thoroughly and chop roughly. 2 - Add the greens along with garlic, ginger, green chilies, salt, and ¼ cup of water. Pressure cook in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Pressure cooker: Cook for 1 whistle on high heat then turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 mins before turning the heat off. Allow the steam to release naturally. Instant Pot: Close the lid with vent to sealing and cook on manual (pressure cook) high mode for 5 mins followed by natural release. Stovetop: Alternately you can also cook it in a pot on the stovetop for 30 mins partially covered, stirring intermittently until well cooked. 3 - Once the steam escapes/ pin drops, open the pressure cooker/Instant Pot. The cooked greens should be soft, they will shrink in size, change color from bright green to dull, and should be soft and well done. 4 - You can either mash these with Mathani (takes time and more effort) or a hand blender (like I did, easy way) to a smooth or slightly coarse texture. I prefer a slightly coarse paste. To use a regular blender, let it cool completely before pureeing. While the saag is pressure cooking make the tadka
To make the tadka (tempering)
5 - In pan heat ghee, add the red chilies (broken in half or keep them whole for less heat), hing (asafoetida ), saute for few seconds, and add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the ginger-garlic and cook until the onions are golden brown. 6 - Stir in the tomatoes and cook covered until tomatoes are soft for approximately 5 mins. 7 and 8 - Add the spices and cook until the masala is well cooked (soft) for 2-3 mins and starts oozing ghee from the sides.
To make Sarson ka saag
9 - Start the Instant pot on saute mode (low) (after pureeing the saag) or transfer the saag to a heavy-bottomed pot. Add Makki atta and mix until smooth. 10 - Simmer for 10-15 mins stirring regularly to prevent the saag from sticking to the bottom. It will thicken as it simmers. 11 - Once the saag has thickened (to your liking, I prefer mine thicker), add the tadka and mix well. Simmer for another 5 mins. 12 - Sarson ka saag is ready!! It will thicken as it sits so adjust consistency with water before serving.
Serving suggestions
In northern India like Delhi and Punjabi, Sarson ka saag is typically served topped with ghee and white butter along with Makki ki roti and jaggery at the side to balance the flavors. Onions and pickle pairs well too! Makki ki roti is made using maize flour and slightly coarse in texture so the combination of smooth saag with this roti is amazing. The best actually!! You can also eat saag with regular roti or naan or rice too.
Recipe Tips
Greens: Use a combination of Mustard greens with other greens to reduce the bitterness from mustard. You can also make this saag with just mustards greens and spinach in the ratio of 2:1 if you can’t find other greens. Both are easily available in grocery stores in the USA. You can also use a bag of mixed greens (spinach, mustard, collard, and turnip leaves). Cooking Greens: It’s important to cook the greens well else they will taste raw. The color of saag will be dull dark green and not bright green due to cooking for a longer time which is absolutely fine. Well cooked saag will also taste less bitter. Tadka (tempering) : The tadka adds more flavor to the saag so don’t skip it. And always make it in ghee. Some prefer saag without tomato in which case you can skip it. Makki ka atta: It helps make the saag thick and smooth. It binds the saag together thus preventing the water and greens from separating. To make Sarson ka saag without maize flour, use whole wheat flour (atta) or gram flour (besan) instead. Substitutions: To make it vegan, skip ghee and make the tadka in oil. Skip hing for gluten-free saag. Consistency: I prefer my saag slightly thicker (scoopable) and not runny. Adjust consistency to your liking by adding water. Leftovers: Saag recipe can be easily doubled and made in bulk as it stores and freezes well. Also, leftover saag tastes delicious!! Heat the leftovers in ghee always!! and serve hot with Makki ki roti. Don’t skimp on ghee for this recipe!!
Frequently asked questions
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