Sarson ka Saag is a traditional Punjabi vegetable dish. This vegetable is a combination of fresh green sarson/ mustard leaves to which smaller quantities of palak/ spinach and bathua/ wild spinach leaves are added. These fresh greens are cooked over a low flame till they are very soft, then are mashed and tempered. Each household has its own tempering method using ginger, garlic, onions but  the main method of cooking the greens slowly with a lot of love, remains the same.

Sarson or Mustard leaves

Sarson or Mustard plant leaves, is a nutritious green leaf vegetable available in the winter months in North India and its leaves are most flavourful from November until March.  It has been cultivated for its leaves and oil seeds since ancient times. The young tender green leaves are gathered when the plant reaches about 2 feet in height and used as green leaf vegetable. If left to grow to 4-5 feet in height, it bears golden yellow coloured flowers which develop into mustard seed pods and are used as a spice as well as in oil production.

Mustard greens are the storehouse for many phyto-nutrients that promote health and have disease prevention properties.They are low in calories and fats. It’s dark green leaves carry ample amounts of phyto-nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It contains a good amount of fiber that helps control cholesterol levels and aids in smooth bowel movements and hence offers protection from hemorrhoids, constipation as well as colon cancer diseases.

The greens are also a very good source of Vitamin K, which aids in the bone mass building function by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bone. It plays an important role in Alzheimer’s disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain. They are also a rich source of anti-oxidants and have proven benefits against prostate, breast, colon and ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer-cell growth inhibition.

Fresh Mustard leaves are also a moderate source of B-complex group of vitamins, an excellent source of vitamin-C and an incredible source of vitamin-A which is an essential nutrient required for good eye-sight. A source of several essential minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, and manganese. Regular consumption of mustard greens in the diet is known to prevent arthritis, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, anemia and believed to offer protection from cardiovascular diseases, asthma and colon and prostate cancers.

Bathua or Wild Spinach

Bathua or wild spinach is a winter crop in North India. It is extensively cultivated and consumed as a food crop. Bathua leaves are high in fibre and  a very good source of high quality protein, nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins, particularly Vitamin C and Vitamin A, potassium, iron, calcium and zinc. Bathua leaves are good for the liver, spleen and gall bladder. It improves haemoglobin level and is considered a heart tonic. The juice of Bathua leaves also helps purify blood.

Palak or Spinach

Palak or spinach, in India, is available throughout the year and  is of the smooth, flat, dark-green variety.

Spinach is beneficial for weight loss as it is rich in fibre and aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar and curbs overeating. It is anti-Cancer and has proven to be effective in providing protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer. It is also effective in slowing down cell division in human stomach and skin cancer cells. It also contains vitamin A which is very important for eye health and contains antioxidants which protect the eye from cataracts. Spinach is rich in Vitamin K which is vital for maintaining bone health. It lowers hypertension, promotes gastrointestinal health, lowers blood pressure, maintains proper brain functioning specially during old age. Being rich in Vitamin K, spinach aids in calcification and also helps prevent anaemia as it is an excellent source of iron.

Loaded with useful vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin K as well as vital minerals, spinach plays an important role in skincare. It also promotes healthy hair as it is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that promote hair growth and combat hair loss.

Taramani is from a village in Jharkhand and has been staying in Delhi for 12 years. She got married 5 years ago. Her family is well established but the economic freedom is what drives her to keep working.

She loves talking on her mobile and keeps in touch with most of her community, who look up to her for guidance. Her husband indulges her love for new mobiles often.

She has a special gift of flavouring the food and can organise parties very efficiently. Once she leaves full time employment, she is being encouraged to take up catering for parties, train girls in cooking or start a tiffin business as she is an able organiser and mobilises her fellow workers very efficiently.

Taramani says the sweetness of Palak and Bathua leaves counteracts the peppery sharpness of the Sarson leaves. Though the combined weight of the leaves is about 2kgs, after the cleaning and chopping of the leaves, we are left with about 1kg 600gms. Cooking it with the bare minimum of accompaniments brings out the flavour of the greens.

To pander to differing tastes she tempers the greens after cooking with onions and sometimes garlic, cooked in pure ghee or clarified butter. With her proportions, the Sarson ka Saag tastes exceptional and the tempering is optional and not a necessity. She also adds a tablespoon of makki/maize flour to bind the greens as such.

Sarson ka Saag

Mustard Greens Vegetable

Ingredients ~

1 kg tender sarson/mustard leaves
700 gms palak/spinach leaves
400 gms bathua/wild spinach leaves
2-3 green chillies or to taste
50 gms ginger
50 gms jaggery
2 cups water
Salt to taste

Tempering ~

2 medium onions
2 tbsp pure ghee/clarified butter

Method ~

1. Wash and clean the sarson/mustard, palak/spinach and bathua/wild spinach leaves.
2. If the mustard leaves are mature, then peel the stringy part of the stem.
3. Pluck the bathua leaves and discard the woody stems.
4. Cut away the hard spinach stems.
5. Take all the greens and cut finely.
6. Chop the chillies and peel and dice the ginger.
7. Place in a pressure cooker with water and the knob of jaggery.
8. Pressure cook for 1 whistle and then simmer for 30 minutes.
9. Once the steam has reduced, open the pressure cooker and blend the greens with a hand mixer to a rough puree consistency.
10. If not using a pressure cooker, place all the greens in a heavy bottom pot, add 2 cups of water and let simmer till the leaves are well cooked. Check to see if more water is required.
11.In a small frying pan, heat the ghee and sauté the chopped onion till translucent and slightly pink.
12. Add to the puree in the pressure cooker along with a tablespoon of makki/maize flour.
13. Cook open on a slow flame till the puree becomes thick.

~ Serve steaming hot with ghee or home-made butter and Makki ki Roti.