Sarson da Saagਸਰਸੋਂ ਦਾ ਸਾਗ

Name: Sarson da Saag
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Punjabi
Ingredients: 500g (about 1 lb) Fresh mustard greens (sarson), stems trimmed, roughly chopped; 200g Fresh spinach (palak), roughly chopped; 100g Bathua (lamb's quarters / pigweed), optional but traditional; 3 Green chillies, slit; 2 tbsp Cornmeal (makki ka atta); 3 tbsp, plus extra to serve Ghee or unsalted butter (makkhan); 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 6 Garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp Fresh ginger (adrak), grated; 1 medium Tomato, roughly chopped; ½ tsp Red chilli powder; to taste Salt

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 50m🍽 Serves 6🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Hebbars Kitchen (YouTube)

Sarson da saag is winter in Punjab: the smell of mustard greens and ginger simmering in a heavy pot, the color of dark jade in a clay bowl, the creaking of cold air outside. Made from mustard leaves (sarson), spinach, and bathua slow-cooked to a rough mash and finished with a golden tarka of onion and ghee, it is eaten only in the cold months when the mustard fields bloom yellow. The bitterness of the mustard is not a flaw — it is the point, and it is why this dish tastes like nothing else.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪Fresh mustard greens (sarson), stems trimmed, roughly chopped500g (about 1 lb)
▪Fresh spinach (palak), roughly chopped200g
▪Bathua (lamb's quarters / pigweed), optional but traditional100g
▪Green chillies, slit3
▪Cornmeal (makki ka atta)2 tbsp
▪Ghee or unsalted butter (makkhan)3 tbsp, plus extra to serve
▪Onion, finely chopped1 large
▪Garlic cloves, minced6
▪Fresh ginger (adrak), grated2 tbsp
▪Tomato, roughly chopped1 medium
▪Red chilli powder½ tsp
▪Saltto taste
For serving
▪Makki di roti or butter naanas needed

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Bathua (lamb's quarters) is available in South Asian grocery stores in the UK, Canada, and parts of the US in winter; if you can't find it, replace with an equal weight of extra spinach or Swiss chard — the flavour differs slightly but the texture holds.
Makki di roti is made from coarse cornmeal (Swad or Laxmi brand makki atta from any Punjabi grocer); masa harina is too fine. If you can't find makki atta, frozen parathas or simple naan pair well — the saag is forgiving.
The saag actually improves after a day in the fridge; cool completely and store covered. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, then serve with fresh ghee on top — many Punjabi households consider leftover saag the better meal.

Method

1Wash all the greens thoroughly in several changes of cold water. Combine mustard greens, spinach, bathua, and green chillies in a large pot with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 25 minutes until everything is completely wilted and very soft.
2Add the cornmeal, stir well, and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until absorbed. Using a hand blender or a traditional mathani, pulse the greens to a rough mash with some texture still remaining — this is not meant to be smooth.
3In a separate pan, heat ghee over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes.
4Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and ginger; fry for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add tomato, red chilli powder, and 1 tsp salt; cook until the tomato is completely broken down and the fat separates, about 6 minutes.
5Pour this tarka into the pot of mashed greens. Stir well and simmer together on low heat for 10–15 minutes, letting the flavors merge. Taste and adjust salt and chilli.
6Serve hot in bowls with a generous pat of butter or a drizzle of ghee on top, alongside makki di roti or warm naan.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.