Description

Winter special Chane ka saag is a delicious and slightly sour saag recipe. It is made from the tender greens of chickpea plant with small feathery leaves that used to make chana bhaji. You can enjoy this saag with Makki ki Roti or Bajre ki Roti and even with phulka, paratha or chapati.

Scale

Ingredients

150 grams chana saag – tender chickpea leaves, cleaned and washed
2 tablespoons yellow moong dal (mung lentil)
1 tomato (medium-sized), quartered
1 inch ginger, chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green chili, chopped
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
½ cup water
Salt to taste

For the Tempering

2 tablespoons mustard oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 dry red chili (broken and seeds removed)
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
1 medium onion, finely chopped

Instructions

Preparation

First, separate the tender stems with leaves from the saag and put it into a large bowl.
Now rinse the leaves with water 2 to 3 times or more to get rid of the mud or dust from the saag.
Gently swirl the saag with your hands and then drain the water, so that the saag is cleaned properly.
Now chop the saag and set aside.
How to make Chane ka Saag
Add the chopped saag in a large pressure cooker.
Then add rinsed moong dal, 1 tomato (quartered), chopped ginger, chopped garlic and 1 green chilli .
Next, add a pinch of asafoetida, salt to taste along with ½ cup water.
Now cook it for about 8 to 9 minutes or till 4 to 5 whistles have come.
Switch off the heat and let the pressure release on its own, open the lid and allow it to cool down completely.
Now in a mixer-grinder jar or blender, add the cooked saag and blend it to make a smooth paste.
Set aside the saag.

For the tempering

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil.
Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
Let the cumin seeds crackle.
Then add 1 dry red chili (broken and seeds removed) and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing).
Stir till the red chilies change color.
Then add finely chopped onions.
Sauté onions till light brown or golden.
Add the blended chana saag.
Mix very well and simmer chane ka saag for 3 to 4 minutes or till it becomes hot.
While simmering do stir often as the saag splutters. Later switch off the flame.
Serve chane ka saag with makki ki roti or bajre ki roti or chapati or phulka.

Notes

Do not use the hard or dense stems. Always use the tender stems with the leaves.
You can add makai ka atta instead of moong dal, you can add makai ka atta (maize flour) or besan (gram flour) or bajra atta (sorghum flour).
Since I have used moong dal I have pressure cooked for more time.
If using any of the flours mentioned above instead of moong dal, then you can pressure cook for about 5 to 6 minutes.
You can also blend directly in the cooker with a hand held electric blender.

Category: Main course
Cuisine: North Indian

Keywords: Chana Saag Curry, Chane Ka Saag in Punjabi Style, Winter special Chane Ka Saaag, How make Chana Saag