Punjabi winter classic · Slow cooked
Saag Recipe (Punjabi Sarson ka Saag)
Mixed greens. Slow cook. Ghee tarka.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenSarson ka saag is Punjab's winter dish of mustard greens and spinach cooked slowly into a creamy puree. It can taste bitter or grassy. The fix is balancing mustard with spinach, cooking the greens long enough, thickening with makai atta and finishing with a generous ghee tarka.
The 3 laws of saag
Why this recipe works
Only mustard
Spinach softens the bitterness.
Quick boil
Long cooking makes it creamy.
No binder
Corn flour gives body.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Greens
Tarka
The NineFoods saag gauge
Is the saag cooked enough?
Press the greens against the pot with a spoon.
Method · 4 stages
Step by step
Boil greens
- Cook greens with chillies, ginger, salt and water.
- Use the gauge above.
Blend and thicken
- Blend coarsely, then stir in makai atta.
- Simmer, stirring often, until creamy.
Tarka
- Fry onion and garlic in ghee until golden, add chilli.
- Pour into the saag.
Serve
- Top with white butter.
- Serve with makki ki roti.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Too much mustard.
Fix next time
Add more spinach and a pinch of sugar or jaggery.
Why
Under-cooked.
Fix next time
Cook longer before blending.
Why
Too much water.
Fix next time
Simmer uncovered with makai atta.
Why
No tarka.
Fix next time
Finish with garlic ghee tarka and butter.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Mustard greens | Main | Kale |
| Makai atta | Thickener | Corn meal or besan |
| Bathua | Earthy taste | More spinach |
| Ghee | Tarka | Butter |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Makki ki roti, white butter, jaggery and lassi.
Store
Fridge 4 days. Freezer 3 months.
Reheat
Warm on low with a spoon of ghee.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the saag cooked enough) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Saag FAQ
What is saag made of?
Mainly mustard greens with spinach and sometimes bathua.
How do I make saag less bitter?
Add more spinach and a pinch of jaggery.
What is makai atta?
Fine corn flour, used to thicken saag.
What is saag served with?
Makki ki roti, white butter and jaggery.