'Saag' is the most effective way to eat lots of greens!
Inspired by beautiful leafy greens like kale, rainbow chard, mustard greens, spinach
What is Saag?
Saag is a North Indian dish originating from the state of Punjab, where my parents immigrated from. Saag is a combination of hearty leafy greens, mixed/blended into textured smoothness, bound together by a little bit of flour, topped with fats like butter or ghee, and enjoyed with soft, warm flat breads made from corn flour. The traditional version, called Saron da Saag (Punjabi) or Sarson ka Saag (Hindi), is made of:
~85% mustard greens (Saron or Sarson)
~10% spinach (palak)
~5% pigweed/goosefoot/wild spinach (bathu or bathua)
These greens are abundant during the winter months. Consequently, this is a nostalgic and comforting winter dish in Punjab and for Punjabi immigrants alike.
I have so many warm childhood memories of my mom and her sisters getting together in the winter for ‘Saag parties’ where they would make large batches of Saag in a giant pot on the fire in the backyard. While Saag was the object, these gatherings were more anticipated because the sisters got to spend time with each other, gossip about their neighbors or in-laws, tease each other over their loss of arm strength as they blended the cooked Saag greens, and yell at their children playing nearby drumming up a lot of ruckus (especially the constant warnings of staying away from the hot Saag pot!).
For me, it was always a super fun day. I got to play with my cousins as the aroma of the greens wafted throughout the backyard with the wind. We were largely left to our own devices given our mothers were preoccupied with their Saag and conversation. And a delicious meal was always waiting at the end! Now, I look upon these memories nostalgically since I live far away from my mother and her sisters; my solace is the update I get from her over a phone call each winter. I mentioned writing this post to my mother and she sent me some photos from this winter’s session, shown above.
What else can you include in a Saag?
There are three key wonderful qualities about this dish:
A) It is versatile and forgiving. While traditional mustard leaves or pigweed might be challenging to source in the U.S., it does not matter! Saag can be made with many kinds of leafy greens. I have experimented with many variations and they always turn out delicious. Literally most green leafy vegetables and some green non-leafy vegetables will work! Over the years I have used various combinations of the following based on whatever I had available at the time, like:
mustard greens (traditional), spinach (traditional), kale, chard/rainbow chard, bok choy, collard greens, leeks, green cabbage, broccoli, fenugreek, curly mustard greens, etc.
Some combinations I used this year:
B) It helps you eat lots of greens. It turns quite a large amount of greens into a small serving that is super delicious and nutritious. I have not specifically measured but I suspect 10 cups of leafy greens become 2 cups of delicious Saag.
C) It takes just 3 easy simple steps to prepare a delicious Saag and 1 tasty step to savor it!
Cook the greens
Blend and bind the greens
Flavor the greens
Enjoy the greens
How do you make Saag?
1. Cook the greens
The goal here is to get the greens to be very tender. It’s best to chop them into small pieces and cook them until quite softened. Pressure cookers like Instant pots will work the fastest (~15-30 min) but you can also boil them in a pot with low-medium heat on the stove or open fire (traditional), which will take longer (~1-2h). If using a pressure cooker, I do not add any additional water since the greens will release water, however, if you are in a pot on the stove, it’s best to add a little bit of water so it doesn’t completely evaporate and burn at the bottom. One issue that can come up is that the greens do not fit into the pot completely. This can be easily solved by letting the first batch of greens simmer in the pot for ~10-15 mins to let them reduce down and thereby making room for adding more chopped greens.
In addition to the greens, this step is also an opportunity to add aromatics like onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and chillies to infuse the flavors into the greens. Once the greens are cooked they should have a little bit of water remaining but they should not be swimming in water. If there is too much water in the pot, remove it and store in a separate bowl for potential use later.
2. Blend and bind the greens
The blending/mixing and binding of the greens is important to get a texture that is not runny and can be scooped sturdily with a base of choice. This is also the reason why the greens need to be quite soft otherwise it will be challenging to mix and blend them. Traditionally, the blending is done with a wooden mixer (photo above) that is moved around in repetitive circles for the softened greens to just ‘melt’ and blend. This requires quite a bit of arm strength and my mom and her sisters (and sometimes I) would take turns doing this part. It’s a good workout! In my non-traditional method, I either use the food processor or a blender (regular or immersion) to get it to a smooth consistency. My personal preference is the food processor as it retains some of the texture whereas the blender turns the greens more fine/smooth and they lose some texture.
Next comes the binding part. This is traditionally accomplished with corn flour in Punjabi households but you can bind this with any flour. I have successfully used wheat flour and chickpea flour (besan) but I imagine almond flour and other types of flour would work too. I add ~0.5 cups of flour first and combine (hand mixing or food processor or blender) and then add ~1-2 tbsp of flour at a time until I get the consistency I like. This is where trial and error is important for anyone trying this dish for the first time with your combination of greens, given different greens release different amounts of water when cooked. The mixture should not be runny. It should be sturdy/dense enough that you can scoop it with a flatbread without it dripping everywhere. It should not be so dense that you cannot easily mix it.
3. Flavor the greens
While this is a North Indian style dish, it honestly does not require any Indian spices whatsoever. Yes, you read that right! All the flavor comes from the greens themselves and the tempered aromatics. The key is use enough aromatics, not just a small amount. In a pan on medium-high heat, add your fat-of-choice. This is traditionally ghee but I have used olive oil and avocado oil too. Begin frying the aromatics starting with lots of onions, garlic, ginger, fresh green chillies (e.g. Serrano). Once these have browned and released enough aroma into your entire kitchen, add in the tomatoes and cook them for 30 secs to 1 min only (we are not trying to make a paste). Turn down the heat to low-medium and add in the greens, salt to taste, and mix thoroughly. It is now important to simmer this for 15-20 mins as this will help cook the flour you added earlier to bind the greens properly and infuse the greens with the tempered aromatics. I recommend covering with a lid as the greens can splatter out of the pan. If the greens are too thick, add small amounts of hot water at a time (or the greens water you may have saved earlier) until you like the consistency. If they are too thin, cover partially with the lid to let some of the water evaporate. This step is flexible to get the consistency you like. At the end do a quick taste test to adjust salt and finish with a generous splash of lemon juice and some cilantro leaves to balance and brighten the earthy greens flavor.
4. Enjoy the greens
Now that you have prepared beautiful greens that smell amazing and invite you to dig in immediately, what is the best way to eat them?
Traditionally Saag is eaten with makki roti, a soft thick flat bread prepared out of Indian corn flour. Saag is topped with ghee and served with jaggery on the side. I’m sure you can imagine how this truly is an ultimate comfort winter dish. I enjoy Saag with all kinds of bases (rice, flat breads), sides (yogurt, lentils), and additions. For example, you can add more dimensions to this dish by mixing in any of the following:
boiled potatoes
paneer (an Indian farmer’s cheese) - regular or pan fried
tandoori (or baked) chicken or lamb or salmon pieces
tofu or seitan or tempeh pieces
I leave you with some examples of how I have enjoyed Saag recently. I have savored it with corn flatbreads, whole wheat flatbreads, basmati rice, as part of a multi-course meal that includes lentils or black chickpeas, sometimes with a side of vegetable curry or yogurt or raw onions. It is always more heartwarming when a dollop of ghee or white butter is added on top. I hope you try this method of cooking greens and realize how easy it is to make a delicious dish that is jam packed with nutrition and comfort.
Now, what greens are you going to make your Saag dish with?
Dish Debrief:
Is this my winner or disaster? 100% a winner
How would I rate this dish out of 10? 10 out of 10
What would I change next time? keep trying variations of greens and additions
Would I make this again? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes many times over