Haak saag: Another simple recipe of Kashmiri cuisine goes well with rice. Indian food is full of magical spices as I mentioned earlier, all spices which we use in Indian food have medicinal value. Aroma and flavour of these spices do magic when blended properly. Indian curries are very aromatic and healthy. Today I am sharing a very special Kashmiri green dish with you all, named Haak Saag. Kashmiri saag is very simple to make.

Kashmiri Haak is a typically Kashmiri Pandit dish of greens (saag in Hindi) cooked with mustard oil, asafoetida (hing), and dried red chillies. But this daily dish is universally popular across the state and is cooked in almost all Kashmiri homes.

The best Kashmiri Haak is simple and light, healthy and nutritious, tasty and flavourful. This dish of soupy braised greens is considered a poor man’s food because it uses leaves from vegetables that would otherwise be discarded.

I make Haak Saag in two ways for which the recipes are posted below. I like both the recipes, they are healthy and aromatic. Although, my husband likes the creamy version of Haak saag.

Ingredients use to make haak saag:

Haak Saag– Haak leaves look quite a lot like spinach.

Mustard oil- which is used extensively in Kashmiri cuisine, imparts an extra flavour to the dish.

Asafoetida– Another typical ingredient in Kashmiri Pandit cuisine, imparts not only a characteristic taste but also adds a delicious aroma to this simple dish of wilted greens.

Meetha (sweet) soda / baking soda -(sodium bicarbonate) is used to preserve the bright vibrant green of the Haak leaves.

Green or Red chilli- Some Kashmiri Haak recipes use fresh green or red chillies. But, you can use dried red chillies, preferably Kashmiri red chillies. They are not as hot as they look but which add sufficient heat to the greens to enhance their flavour.

Garlic – Haak saag is traditionally made without onion and garlic. However, in this recipe, I had added whole garlic pods in tadka that gives this saag an aromatic twist. Although, if you want you can skip it.

Serving suggestion:

Serve delicious Kashmiri Haak immediately with plain boiled/steamed rice along with some of the Haak-rus (Haak broth). You can also have it with plain roti.

Try few more recipes from Kashmiri cuisine :

• Aloo palak bhaji ( spinach and potato dry curry)
• Kashmiri dum aloo
• Katlama (Pakistani flatbread) || Pakistani street food
• Kashmiri paneer| Lal Paneer
• Cucumber And Mustard Raita || Pahadi Raita
• Gooseberry pickle ( Amla ka achar)
• SWEET AND SPICY GOOSEBERRY FRY
• Pickled Jalapeños-A Daily Pickle

Haak Saag

Recipe by MINAL SHARMACourse: MainCuisine: Indian, KashmiriDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

240

kcal

Kashmiri haak is a typically Kashmiri Pandit dish of greens (saag in Hindi) cooked with mustard oil, asafoetida (hing), and dried red chillies.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg Haak

• 1/2 kg spinach (palak) or Kashmir Spinach or kaanyi Haak or kohlrabi greens or collard greens, cleaned, thick stem removed and leaves left whole,

• 2-3 cups of water

• 3-4 tbsp mustard oil

• 1 tsp chopped garlic

• 1/4 tsp heeng

• 5-6 whole red chillies

• 2-3 brown cardamom

• 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder

• 1 tsp saunf

• Salt – to taste

Directions

• Traditional recipe
• In a deep vessel, heat the mustard oil to smoking point.
• Add the garlic, heeng, red chillies and cardamom and stir.
• Add the ginger powder, saunf and salt, stir again.
• Now add the Haak mix well and cook till it reduces a little.
• Pour in the water, cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
• Haak Saag is ready to serve.
• My version of this recipe,
• use 1/2 kg spinach and 1/2 kg Haak saag(Kashmiri spinach)
• Just remove the stem and torn leaves roughly. In a large pan boil 1-2 cups of water
• Add salt as per taste, put asafoetida, one tsp of oil and add greens in it boil it for a minute or till leaves become tender.
• Add 1 tsp of chickpea flour or besan and cook till creamy texture arise. Keep aside.
• In a saucepan heat 1 tbsp mustard oil add 2-4 Kashmiri whole red chilli and 4-5 whole garlic pods ( slightly crushed ) put this on prepared Haak saag.
• actually, I like it this way this addition of flour bind it and give a creamy texture and enhance taste also you can use either of them.
• Serve hot with roti or rice.

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