Kashmiri Saag

Spinach generously spiked with garlic cloves and dry red chillies, cooked with mustard oil – I fell in love with this simple, deliciously flavored saag from the word go. Only five ingredients and little cooking time, Kashmiri saag is also easy on the chef.

I saw this recipe on NDTV Good Times, Aditya Bal’s show, a few months back and it has become a regular in my kitchen since then.

Have Kashmiri saag with plain rotis or steamed rice. Recipe highlight: melt-in-the-mouth whole garlic cloves.

You Need:

• Spinach – 2 bunches
• Dry red chillies – 10
• Garlic cloves – 20, peeled
• Mustard oil – 1.5 tablespoons
• Salt – to taste

[Garlic and red chilies: spices that flavour Kashmiri saag]

How To:

Wash the spinach well and tear coarsely. Remove the thick stems if any, the tender stems can remain.

In a pressure cooker, heat the mustard oil to smoking point. Reduce heat, add the garlic cloves and stir. The garlic cloves  will turn golden-brown in a few seconds – at this stage, add the dry red chillies.

Drop the spinach into the cooker when the red chillies turn deep brown begin to give off a fried aroma. Add a pinch of salt (very little – spinach doesn’t need much salt, you can add more later after tasting if required) and mix well.

The spinach will begin to give off water in a minute. Add a tablespoon of more water, shut the lid of the pressure cooker and allow it to cook till two whistles.

Let the pressure release naturally. Serve hot with chapatis.

Notes:

1. I know, this recipe calls for a LOT of garlic, chilies and mustard oil. I was hesitant at first but went ahead anyway. I’m glad I did. Don’t reduce any quantities, just try it!
2. Kashmiri red chilies are not as hot as they look.
3. The original recipe had badi elaichi (black cardamom) in the tadka along with the red chilies, but I prefer spinach saag without it.