Sarson ka Saag Recipe (Authentic Punjabi Style)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
2 hrs
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Cook Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs
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Servings
8
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Calories
59 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Sarson ka Saag Recipe (Authentic Punjabi Style)
Description
Sarson ka Saag brings together several leafy greens including mustard (sarson), bathua, spinach, and radish leaves combined with white radish root and fenugreek leaves. These are thoroughly washed, chopped, and cooked with garlic, ginger, green chilies, tomatoes, asafoetida, and red chili powder until tender. The cooked mixture is blended until smooth and simmered again to meld flavors. Tempering the dish involves sautéing finely chopped onions in neutral oil or ghee, then stirring in the cooked saag to develop a mild sweetness and richness, balancing the greens’ natural bitterness.
The texture is creamy and smooth with visible purples-red notes from tomatoes, with the flavor profile blending mustard's pungency, mild heat from chilies, and the earthy background of assorted greens. Sarson ka Saag is best served hot, often with traditional Indian breads such as makki ki roti. This combination is commonly enjoyed in Punjabi cuisine as a hearty, nutrient-rich meal. The dish's complexity comes from layering cooking techniques and a diversity of greens rather than heavy spices.
Nutrition info applies primarily to the saag itself before tempering. Adjust water during cooking for desired consistency. Cooling and reheating gently preserves texture. Use fresh greens for the best flavor and wash thoroughly to remove grit.
Ingredients
For sarson ka saag
- 1 bunch mustard greens (sarson)
- ½ bunch bathua leaves (chenopodium/goosefoot/melde)
- ½ bunch spinach palak, leaves
- 1 cup radish leaves use tender leaves, (mooli ke patte, chopped
- 3 to 4 inches white radish root
- 1 cup fenugreek leaves - chopped
- 1 cup onion or 2 medium sized onions, chopped
- 1.5 cups tomato or 3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
- 2 inches ginger - chopped
- 2 green chilies - chopped
- 7 to 8 garlic - medium sized, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 to 3 pinches asafoetida or ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
- 2 to 3 cups water or add as required
- 2 tablespoon corn flour or fine cornmeal
- salt as required
Tempering saag for 3 servings
- ⅓ cup onion or 1 small to medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil or ghee, generic cooking oil
- 2 cups saag or as required, cooked
Instructions
Making sarson ka saag
- Firstly clean and chop all the greens. Then wash or rinse the greens very well in running water.
- In a 5 litre stovetop pressure cooker or pan add all the ingredients listed under "for sarson ka saag" except for maize flour.
- Cover the pressure cook and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or more on medium-high heat.
- If cooking in a pan, then cover and let the greens cook till tender and softened. Do check occasionally.
- Pour the greens along with the stock and maize flour in a blender. Blend till smooth.
- In another deep pan or in the same cooker, pour the pureed greens.
- Simmer for a good 25 to 30 minutes on a low heat stirring at intervals.
Tempering for sarson da saag
- In another small pan, heat oil. Use any neutral oil. You can also make the tempering with ghee if you prefer.
- Add the chopped onions and saute them till light brown on medium-low heat.
- Add the prepared saag. Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Stir ocaasionally when the saag is simmering.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve sarson ka saag hot with a side of some chopped onions, whole green chilies or mango pickle. Top the saag with a dollop of white butter and serve with Makki di Roti. Also serve a few jaggery cubes by the side.
- For a vegan saag, omit adding white butter or use vegan butter.
Storage
- Store the pureed and simmered saag in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerarot. You can also freeze it for a month.
- When ready to serve, remove the quantity you need from the refrigerator and temper it with the required amout of oil and onions.
Notes
- Use fresh mustard, bathua, spinach, radish leaves, and fenugreek for best flavor.
- Adjust water quantity to thin or thicken the saag as preferred.
- Sauté onions in oil or ghee before adding saag to add richness and balance bitterness.
- Blending the cooked greens yields a creamy texture; blend to desired smoothness.
- This saag pairs traditionally with Indian flatbreads like makki ki roti.
- Nutrition information given refers to the saag without the onion tempering.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 59 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 59kcal | 3% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 385mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 142mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 321IU | 6% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 36mg | 40% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 4µg | |
| Calcium | 112mg | 11% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 10µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 18mg | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 62mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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