Most people will remember having been reminded to eat their greens and how they cringed at the thought. But greens are not just broccoli and all that bad. Take for example the various saags (leaf-based dishes) that are consumed with relish in our part of the world.

Somehow saag has always been associated with rustic culture, and so when we talk of saag we get images of vast fields, with farmers enjoying an aromatic, emerald green dish that has been garnished with thinly sliced ginger and served with a dash of golden butter. Accompanied by baking hot makai ki roti, this is enough to make the stomach rumble with hunger and the palate salivate with anticipation. Though saag is now available in tinned form all the year round, fresh saag is indeed the gift of the winter season in Pakistan.

Beside the unique taste of a well cooked saag dish, another thing in favour of this leafy green vegetable is that it is extremely healthy, nutritious and very versatile. Saag of various kinds are packed with vitamin A, folic acid, carotenes, vitamin K, and flavonoid anti-oxidants that have immense disease preventing properties.

Regular consumption of these essential vitamins and minerals is known to prevent arthritis, osteoporosis and iron deficiency. They are also vital for protection from cardiovascular diseases, asthma and colon and prostate cancers. The dark-green leaves of mustard greens are extremely rich in fibre that helps control cholesterol in the body and ensures smooth bowel movements thereby preventing haemorrhoids.

When buying mustard greens (sarson ka saag), spinach (palak) or any other leafy green vegetable of the Brassica family, look for leaves that are fresh, crispy and undamaged. Do not buy leaves that are discoloured, spotted or wilted. The darker the green leaf, higher the content of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A and folic acid in the vegetable. Prolonged storage in refrigerator should be avoided as much as possible; it’s best to cook fresh from the market and consume quickly to get maximum nutrition.

Saag being a very versatile dish, can be eaten on its own as main course with boiled rice, plain or makai ki roti, mixed with potatoes to make aloo saag, mixed with meat to make chicken or mutton saag or pressed between thin rotis to make parathas.

Saag can be cooked in the traditional way of our grannies and great grandmothers or you can get creative and use them in international cuisine like lasagne, pasta and or serve alongside steaks to make it more appealing to the children. Before cooking, the leaves should be washed thoroughly in clean running water to remove grit, soil and effects of pesticides.

Many varieties of the leafy green vegetables are found in the market like sarson ka saag, bathua saag, cholai ka saag, etc. Using just one kind of green leaves can make your dish bland, bitter or too peppery but a combination of these leafy vegetables with aromatic green herbs like soya, dill and fenugreek (methi) turns out just great.

Try the following this winter:

Sarson ka saag

Heat oil and fry one thinly sliced onion till golden brown. Add one to two tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste and stir well. Chop two to three tomatoes and add to the wok and fry thoroughly. Add cumin seed (zeera), salt, red chilli powder and a little turmeric (haldi). Add one cup of fresh fenugreek leaves and stir well.

Then add two bunches of boiled and pureed leaves of sarson ka saag. Add a little water and let cook for a little while till oil separates.

Garnish with green chillies, sour pickled vegetables and a blob of butter.

Saag chicken

Put washed chicken pieces in a wok. Add one to two sliced onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric according to taste and preference. Add a little water. Cover and let cook till the chicken is tender.

Thoroughly wash spinach, fenugreek and soya leaves. Boil them in their own water and puree them in a blender.

When the chicken is tender, pour the saag puree in it. Mix well and cook till the oil separates. Garnish with fresh chopped green chillies, thinly sliced ginger and a piece of butter.

Palak paneer

Palak paneer is made from spinach leaves and uses fried cottage cheese as a topping. Cut cubes of cottage cheese, fry them in oil till light brown and then place them on an absorbent sheet.

Thoroughly wash one to two bunches of spinach and a small bunch of fenugreek leaves. Heat oil in a pan and fry one medium-sized onion, cumin seed and ginger-garlic paste. Add one chopped tomato, salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and fry till well mixed. Add spinach and fenugreek leaves, a bunch at a time and cool till they soften. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend. Pour the mixture back in the wok and cook till the oil separates. Add fried cottage cheese and garnish with fresh cream, green chillies and ginger.

Other tips to remember

Using whole spices like green and black cardamoms, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, etc., greatly enhances the flavour, aroma and nutritional value of these dishes. Tomatoes in these dishes are optional and many people prefer to cook saag without tomatoes to enjoy the natural flavours of the green vegetables. Whatever way you choose, it will be highly nutritious and contain all the goodness of nature in it.