Sarson da saag is a curry made using fresh mustard greens along with other greens such as spinach, fenugreek leaves, bathua leaves, or kale. The curry is flavored with a tempering made with ghee, onions, ginger, garlic and green chili. It is made specially during winters and served with makki ki roti (cornmeal flatbread). It is everyday meal made in villages of North India. It is gluten free. To make it vegan avoid using ghee and butter and use oil instead.
Course curry, Main Course, Main Dish, roz ka khana
In a pressure cooker pan, add washed and chopped sarson and spinach. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chili.
Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Add water.
Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
Let the pressure cooker cool by itself. Open the lid and coarse crush the mixture with the help of a hand blender or grinder.
Add sorghum flour - jowar atta. (Maize flour is better option. Since I did not have maize flour I have opted to use sorghum flour).
Stir the mixture and then simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat. The mixture will start to thicken as it simmers. The saag mixture will be ready after 25 minutes. Keep it aside.
For the final tempering /tadka - Heat ghee in a pan. If you want to make vegan, add oil instead of ghee.
When the ghee heats, add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
Add finely chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chili (you can keep onions, garlic, ginger and green chili medium chopped. I had chopped it really fine as my son would eat them without any fuss). Add salt and saute till onions are translucent and soft.
I have finely chopped onions, garlic, ginger and green chili using my wonderchef string chopper.
Add red chili powder and mix well.
Add the thickened saag mixture. Mix well.
Add garam masala powder. Mix well and simmer for couple of minutes.
The sarson da saag is ready. Before serving add butter and mix well. (Avoid adding butter to make it vegan).
Remove in the serving bowl. Add a little butter and garnish with onion rings. Serve the piping hot sarson da saag with makki ki roti. I have served it with ragi jowar pyaaz phudina roti, sliced onions and mango pickle.