{"id":4564,"date":"2023-10-27T13:06:39","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T17:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodgutayurveda.com\/indian-stewed-greens-tasty-sarson-ka-saag\/"},"modified":"2023-10-27T13:06:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T17:06:41","slug":"indian-stewed-greens-tasty-sarson-ka-saag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodgutayurveda.com\/indian-stewed-greens-tasty-sarson-ka-saag\/","title":{"rendered":"Stewed Greens (Sarson Ka Saag)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Get ready for a revelation in how good stewed greens can be, because this recipe for Sarson ka Saag is \u201cthe bomb.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each time I make this dish, I am more and more amazed by its qualities. A ton of greens\u2014packed with nutrition, anti-oxidants, and fiber\u2014are cooked in a single pot, and then flavored with onion fried in pure ghee. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"stewed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The result is succulent and very well balanced. I love this dish with rice, with flatbreads like roti, with eggs, with toast, or even by the spoonful, like a soup.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I discovered sarson ka saag, I always thought leafy greens should be cooked in a way that preserves their vibrant green color. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This meant they could only be barely cooked. Think of broccoli that is perfectly bright green. It isn\u2019t tender right? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet when your broccoli is well done and soft, the color doesn\u2019t look good. It is a matter of color versus texture. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is odd that despite my not really enjoying tough green vegetables, the concept of cooking greens for 30 minutes had not even entered my mind. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have to ask myself, where have I been? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly every household in Northern India enjoys this dish of stewed greens, they call sarson ka saag, regularly. And in the American south, a place I have not visited, stewed collard greens are a traditional dinner side. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stewed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So I now stand corrected on the value of cooking greens really well. And hopefully I have also convinced you of its merit. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stewed greens are popular with millions of people for good reason!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make sarson ka saag<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The traditional recipe in India features a good amount of spinach mixed with mustard greens. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are cooked for 30 minutes in a large saucepan or pressure cooker with a small amount of water, and a spice mixture of saut\u00e9ed garlic, ginger, and green chili, for 30 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the greens are well cooked, they are mashed. If you have an immersion blender, it would work well here. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mustard<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"mustard<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next, grated onion is cooked in ghee, which is otherwise known as clarified butter. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, garam masala (a warm spice mix featuring some variation of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and anise), and fresh lime juice, are added for flavor. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s it folks! These are the stewed greens that are so tasty you\u2019ll strike your happy dance. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or maybe you\u2019ll sigh in admiration, as I do. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or you can just savor every bite of balanced perfection and marvel at how lovely it is. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am sure you will find your own way to appreciate it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first you have to make it. It will only take you about 20 minutes of prep time, and it\u2019s a great way to eat your greens. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why my stewed greens are so good!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I generally don\u2019t like to mess with traditional recipes, but with this one I am very proud of my small, yet important, innovation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This innovation takes into account the fact that Americans don\u2019t enjoy the bitter flavor<\/a><\/strong> as much as people in India do. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also considers that most of us have access to leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens, which are all vegetables that most Indians don\u2019t know about. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"greens
A mixture of leeks, kale, Swiss chard, and turnip greens from the garden. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So what I have discovered is that you can combine any greens, and this dish will turn out good. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trick is to ensure a good amount of spinach, because the spinach contributes to the recipe\u2019s succulent texture. Fresh or frozen spinach works just as well, and I\u2019ve found that a quarter of the total greens is a sufficient amount. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have found that it’s nice to include leeks or scallions for pungency and texture. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure to include at least something bitter, such as mustard greens, dandelion greens, radish or turnip greens. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bitter greens are essential to make the flavor pop in the end, since bitter of one of the six tastes<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then choose from the milder greens, like Swiss chard, kale, collards, and\/or beet greens.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"mixed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mix and match what you have, but for the ideal balance, go for a proportion as follows: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n