Mustard Greens & Spinach Saag
“Saag” means “pureed greens” in Punjabi. I grew up eating mustard greens and spinach saag, which is usually loaded with “ghee” (butter), so when I switched my diet I had to come up with a vegan version without compromising the taste or texture of my family’s recipe. My kids love my saag recipe, especially in the winter when we want our greens but don’t want to eat a cold salad. This dish is great by itself, but I like to serve it with naan or my flatbread.
Ingredients
- 1 pound steamed spinach, (chopped)
- 1 pound steamed mustard leaves, (chopped)
- 2 cups steamed broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 red onion, (finely chopped)
- 2 inches ginger, (minced)
- 7 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 cup tomatoes, (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons water
- Fresh daikon or radish, (grated, for garnish)
Instructions
- Mash steamed spinach, mustard greens, and broccoli in food processor, then set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in pan and add cumin seeds, onion, ginger, and garlic, and cook until onions turn pink (about 2 minutes).
- Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are fully mashed.
- Add salt, coriander powder, turmeric, cumin powder, and garam masala, and sauté until spices brown.
- Add mashed vegetables.
- Make paste of cornmeal with warm water and add to vegetable mixture.
- Cook until vegetables get thick (about 30 minutes).
- Garnish with grated daikon or radish, and serve hot.