Sarson ka Saag
Punjab's winter classic: peppery mustard greens slow-cooked with spinach and bathua, mashed to a rustic purée and finished with a ghee tempering of garlic, ginger and chili. Traditionally eaten with makki di roti.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the greens
Put the mustard greens, spinach, , ginger, garlic and chilies in a large pot with the water and salt. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and wilted down.
- 500g mustard greens
- 250g spinach
- 100g
- 1 thumb ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 green chilies
- 250 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: greens are very soft and have collapsed into the liquid
Mash with cornmeal
Sprinkle in the cornmeal and mash everything with a potato masher, or pulse briefly with a stick blender, keeping it coarse rather than smooth. Simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring, until thick.
- 2 tbsp cornmeal
- all the cooked greens from step 1
✅ Done when: mixture is thick and coats a spoon, still a bit chunky
Make the spiced butter (tadka)
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Mix and serve
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Cook the greens
Put the mustard greens, spinach, , ginger, garlic and chilies in a large pot with the water and salt. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and wilted down.
- 500g mustard greens
- 250g spinach
- 100g
- 1 thumb ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 green chilies
- 250 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: greens are very soft and have collapsed into the liquid
Mash with cornmeal
Sprinkle in the cornmeal and mash everything with a potato masher, or pulse briefly with a stick blender, keeping it coarse rather than smooth. Simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring, until thick.
- 2 tbsp cornmeal
- all the cooked greens from step 1
✅ Done when: mixture is thick and coats a spoon, still a bit chunky
Make the spiced butter (tadka)
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Mix and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
When Punjab's fields turn yellow with mustard flowers in winter, farming families harvest the young leaves for saag. Slow-cooked for hours in earthen pots over wood fires, it was the hearty, warming meal of the cold months.
Paired with makki di roti (cornmeal flatbread), it remains one of the defining dishes of Punjabi culture, celebrated in songs and films.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Sarson ka saag with makki di roti is the taste of a Punjabi winter — rustic, peppery and rich with ghee.
💡 Fun Fact
Many Punjabi families say saag tastes even better the next day, reheated with fresh ghee.
Punjab
30.90°N, 75.86°E
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