Nearly every household in Northern India enjoys sarson ka saag regularly. It's got a ton of greens—packed with nutrition, antioxidants, and fiber—cooked in a single pot, and then flavored with onion fried in pure ghee.
3cupsspinachchopped and washed, (frozen spinach is also fine)
start cooking
1tablespoonvegetable oil(see notes)
1teaspoonfresh ginger rootgrated or finely minced
1teaspoongreen chilis (substitute with jalapeños)minced
to add
1cupwater
1teaspoonHimalayan pink salt
for the onion saute
2tablespoons ghee(see notes)
1mediumoniongrated or finely minced
to finish
1/2teaspoongaram masala
1/2limejuiced
Instructions
Prepare greens by separating the stems and leaves. Discard the larger stems. Roughly chop the remaining stems and leaves. Place chopped greens in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Swish greens with your hand. The dirt will sink to the bottom.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-heat. Add ginger and green chilis. Sauté 1-2 minutes. Scoop out the prepared greens from the water, then add 1 cup water and salt. Turn heat to medium- low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. The greens will become very soft.
Use an immersion blender to blend the greens, or blend separately in a blender after cooling slightly. (If you use the blender method, be sure to allow for the steam to escape.) Return greens to the saucepan on low heat.
In a separate small skillet on medium-low, heat ghee and add onion. Sauté until lightly browned.
Add onion to greens with garam masala and lime juice. Simmer until the oil rises to the surface. Taste, and adjust for salt. If you find it too bitter, add a teaspoon of raw sugar.
Notes
For the mixed greens portion of the recipe, follow a proportion of two parts mild greens (including leeks and scallions) and one part bitter greens (such as mustard, dandelion, or radish greens.)The spinach should comprise at least one quarter of the total greens. You can also include spinach in the mild greens category if you want to use more spinach.If you do not have ghee, substitute with a mixture of half butter and half vegetable oil. Ghee is a form of clarified butter with a nutty, buttery taste, that is commonly used in Indian cooking. It is generally safe for people with lactose intolerance, it has a high smoke point of 485 degrees Fahrenheit, and is shelf stable at room temperature. Ghee is widely available outside India. To learn more about ghee and where to buy it, see Quality Ghee & Ghee Buying Tips.