MUSTARD GREENS SAAG
Global Gardens grow a range of tasty winter greens in the polytunnel. When the mustard greens get mature they can be mighty hot and a bit coarser in texture so here is a recipe that really makes the most of them in that state. It’s very delicious and versatile.
Saag is an Indian term many of you will be familiar with through Indian restaurants, where typically spinach is used – but in India Saag refers to a wide range of leafy greens, including mustard greens.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tspn cumin seeds
2 tspn minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped (de-seed if you want it milder)
1/2 tspn salt
½ tspn turmeric
2 tspn ground coriander
1 tspn ground cumin
A large bunch mustard greens (about 400-500 g) very well washed and shredded. Remove stems before shredding if very tough.
¼ tspn garam masala
METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a large lidded pan. Add the cumin seeds and fry 30 seconds. Add the onion and fry over a low heat for a couple of minutes until softened but not brown.
2. Add the ginger, chilli and garlic, stir for 30 seconds without browning
3. Add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt - stir until coated with oil over a gentle heat.
4. After 30 seconds add the mustard greens and ½ cup water.
5. Stir well, put lid on and cook for at least 30 minutes until the greens are very soft. Check now and again and add more water if needed - it should be quite sloppy.
6. When the greens are completely tender add the garam masala and adjust salt, chilli and other spices to suit your taste.
7. Cool a little then blend with a hand blender to a coarse mush.
8. You can serve Saag on it’s own or add a range of items to make it a more substantial meal. See tips below.
TIPS
* You can make Saag with whatever greens you have to hand and mix them together.
* Add diced potato during the cooking to make Saag Aloo - or at the end add paneer cheese or diced fried tofu as a vegan alternative.
* Saag benefits from sitting around for a day to develop the flavours.
* You can add green herbs if you wish, such as coriander or fenugreek (also called methi, which is a very popular Indian addition in fresh or dried form)
* Saag freezes well.
WASTE FREE
* If your greens are very fresh and have not gone woody you do not need to remove the stem. The long cooking time in this recipe will soften them down.
