Shalgam Ka Saag

Winter is a season of Saags in North India especially Punjab. There are variety of saag cooked ie. Sarson ka saag, chaulai ka saag Or Shalgam ka saag. With lots of butter and Desi ghee accompanied by bajre Or Makki ki roti, saags rule the winters. In rural Punjab, saag is cooked in batches so there are enough servings ready to be consumed anytime of the day. These saags are very Nutritious as well as delicious. 

Shalgam or turnip by the way is the most hated vegetable. I myself despised it till I ate it at a village in Punjab. Believe me now it is the most liked dish in our family. Years after I came to know that turnips  are loaded with fibres and vitamins and are very nutritious . They are also rich in magnesium, copper, iron , potassium, calcium and omega3 fatty acids as well as protein. 

Shalgam ka saag is made by boiling turnips with ginger, garlic and tomatoes which are later mashed and tempered with Desi ghee and onions. All saags are loaded with ghee and Shalgam ka saag is no exception. So keep the calorie count for summers and enjoy the delicacies of winters. 

We Need:

• 500 gm Turnips 

• 2 Medium Tomatoes

• 2 Green Chillies

• 6 to 7 cloves of Garlic

• 2" Piece of Ginger

• 2 Medium Onions finely chopped

• 1  Tbsp Sarson Oil

• 1Tsp Turmeric Powder

• ½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder.

• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds. 

• 3  Tbsp Maize Flour

• Salt to taste

• 4 Tbsp Pure Ghee

• 1 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

Let us get started:

1. Wash and peel Turnips. Cut them into medium sized cubes. Peel garlic pods and ginger. 

   

2. Grind tomatoes, ginger and garlic together. Make a smooth paste. No need to add water while grinding. Add turnips, tomato paste , salt, turmeric powder and 1 tsp of oil to a pressure cooker.

   

3.  Add 300 ml of water. Close the lid and keep it on high flame. After one whistle ,keep the saag for another 15 minutes on SLOWEST FLAME. Let the pressure release on its own. 

   

4. After the pressure has been released, open the pressure cooker. Add Maize flour ( Makki ka Atta) to the turnips. Mash them thoroughly till smooth. You can use either a wooden masher or the steel one. Put it again on the slow flame. Place the lid and Let it boil for another 10 minutes. Placing the lid is important as while simmering the saag will come out of the pan after adding Maize Flour ( Makki ka Atta). Be careful while handling this part. 

   

5. After 10 minutes when the Maize flour has been cooked, put off the flame. Time for the tempering. Heat a pan and add 2 Tbsp Desi or Pure ghee to it. Add 1 tsp of cumin to it. When the cumin seeds start sputtering, add chopped onions. Fry until golden and then Add red chilli powder to it. Add Mashed saag to the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. 

   
   

6. Now the saag is ready to be served. Take this out in a serving dish. Again heat 2 Tbsp of Ghee. Add Kashmiri Chilli powder to it. Put the tadka on top and serve hot with Parathas or rotis. It tastes best with makki ki roti and radish salad. 

   

Preparation Time : 15 min

Cooking time : 45 min. 

Cooking Tips: 

Add makki ka atta only after the saag has cooled down otherwise it will form lumps. 

Keep on stirring saag after adding Makki ka atta otherwise it will stick to the bottom of the pan.