TRADITIONAL INDIAN – SAG

Preparation time: 45 minutes      Cooking time: 35 minutes     Total time: 1 hour & 20 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 200g curly kale
• 300g spinach leaves
• 300g sliced greens
• ½ leek, cut into small pieces
• 1”ginger cut into thin big pieces
• 2 whole cloves garlic
• 1 whole green chili ( optional)
• 1 tsp of sea salt, more can be added after tasting
• 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp of ghee
• ½ cup of water
• 2 tbsp of basen

Masala/Tadka

• 2 tbsp of ghee or any oil as per your choice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp of black mustard seeds
• 1 large onion, 4 cloves of garlic and 1½ inch ginger cut into tiny pieces
•  1 tsp tomato puree
• ½  can of chopped tomatoes, app 250 g or 2 medium size tomatoes cut into small pieces
• 1 green chili, chopped or cut into small pieces (optional)
• ½ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
• ½  tsp of garam masala

Method:

To pressure cook

1. Wash all the four vegetables in running water at least 3 times and add to a medium size pressure cooker.
2. Add ginger, cloves, chili, salt, turmeric powder,  ghee and water except basen and give 2 whistles.
3. Let it cool on its own
4. When it cools down, add basen and put in a blender. Blend it until it is smooth.
5. Keep aside.

Masala/Tadka

1. Take a medium heavy based pan and keep it on medium heat.
2. Add ghee. When the ghee gets a little hot, add cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as it starts bubbling, add the mixture of onion, ginger and garlic and cook these for 5 to 6 minutes stirring often. Once the color changes to light pink, add chopped tomato and tomato puree, green chili and red chili flakes. Mix these nicely. At this point reduce the heat to low and cover the pan so that the tomatoes are combined properly and it turns into a smooth paste. This paste should be stirred occasionally so that it does not get burned.
3. The consistency of the paste should be like yogurt.
4. Add blended vegetables to the masala and combine these thoroughly. The heat should be kept on low and the pan should be covered. It should be left on fire for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the excess water evaporates.
5. Add garam masala and cover it for a couple of minutes so that flavor is retained.

Notes:

1. Serve with plain rice, jeera rice, or chapatis, and enjoy.
2. Oil can be used to make the recipe vegan.