Sarsoon Ka Saag / Mustard Greens

A specialty from the land of five rivers. This mustard greens dish is very close to all punjabi's hearts. Serve it with punjabi corn bread/ Makki ki roti and its a meal from heavens. easy to make and yet very satisfying.

Ingredients

Mustard Greens                                       3 lbs

Spinach                                                    1 lbs

Green chilies                                             5-8 or to taste

Red chili flakes                                         1 tsp

Salt                                                          1 1/2 tsp or to taste

Fine Corn Meal                                        1 tbsp

Ghee                                                        1/2 cup

Butter                                                      1/2 cup to serve on the side

Ginger                                                      1 1/2 tbsp 

Garlic                                                       4-5 cloves

Green Onions                                           2 stalks

Method

Wash spinach and mustard greens thoroughly to get rid of sand and grit. Change the water a few times to make sure greens are cleaned well. Slice them as finely as possible.

Put the greens/saag in a pan and add salt, green chilies and red chili flakes. Pour a cup of water and cover. Cook over high until it comes to a boil and the lower the heat and cover. Cook for 90-120 mins. To test press a stem piece between your thumb and finger if it mushes easily, they are cooked.

Using the back of the ladle, mush the greens/saag as much as possible. Mix corn meal in a quarter cup of water and pour into the saag and mix well to avoid lumps.

Cook on low heat for another half hour till it all looks homogenized.

Crush garlic and ginger in a mortar and pestle and slice green onions thinly.

Heat ghee in a frying pan and add garlic paste when it starts browning on the edges, add ginger paste.

When Ginger and garlic both are golden brown, throw in the green onions and immediately pour over the hot saag. Mix well and serve with Makki ki roti, chapati, phulka or boiled rice and a big dab of butter on top.

Note:
You can use a hand blender to mix it instead of ladle but make sure not to make a paste, it still needs to have chunky look.
Freshly crushed ginger and garlic makes a huge difference in the flavor so avoid using pre-made pastes.
You can adjust the amount of heat by increasing or reducing the umber of green chilies.