Saag Explained

Saag
Alternate Name:	Saaga or tuna (Odisha), shaag, shaak, saagwala
Region:	Punjab
Main Ingredient:	Various kinds of edible plants

Saag (ˈsɑːg/), also spelled sag or saga, is an Indian subcontinental leafy vegetable dish eaten with bread, such as roti or naan,^[1] ^[2] or in some regions with rice. Saag can be made from mustard greens, collard greens, basella or finely chopped broccoli along with added spices and sometimes other ingredients, such as chhena.

In India, it is common, especially in the state of Odisha, where it is eaten with pakhala. In the Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri, saag is one of the dishes offered to Jagannath as part of Mahaprasad. Saag is also common in West Bengal and other regions of North India, where the most common preparation is sarson ka saag (mustard plant leaves), which may be eaten with makki ki roti, a yellow roti made with maize flour.^[3] Saag gosht or hariyali maans (spinach and mutton) is a common dish in the North Indian state of Punjab. In Pakistan, it is most commonly eaten in the Punjab province along with Makki ki roti and fresh cow butter or Desi ghee.

Etymology

The word saag is derived from the Sanskrit word shaak (śāka) meaning leafy green vegetables.^[4]

Variations

Odisha

In Odia cuisine, sāga is one of the most important vegetables. It is popular all over the state. A large variety of plants are used as sāga in Odisha. A list of the plants that are used as sāga is as below.

Kalama sāga (କଳମ ଶାଗ): Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach)
Kosalā/Khadā sāga (କୋସଳା ଶାଗ/ଖଡା ଶାଗ): prepared from amaranth leaves.
Bajji sāga (ବଜ୍ଜୀ ଶାଗ): Prepared from Amaranthus dubius leaves.
Leutiā sāga (ଲେଉଟିଆ ଶାଗ) Amaranthus viridis leaves and tender stems.
Pālanga sāga (ପାଳଙ୍ଗ ଶାଗ) spinach
Sāga chhena (ସାଗ ଛେନା): Greens, especially spinach, with cottage cheese

Poi sāga (ପୋଈ ଶାଗ): prepared from basella leaves and tender stems.
Bāramāsi/sajanā sāga (ବାରମାସି/ ସଜନା ଶାଗ): prepared from leaves of the drumstick tree. Cooked with lentils or alone with fried onions.
Sunusuniā sāga (ସୁନୁସୁନିଆ ଶାଗ) Marsilea polycarpa leaves.
Pitāgama sāga (ପିତାଗମା ଶାଗ) Gilnus oppositifolius .
Pidanga sāga (ପିଡଙ୍ଗ ଶାଗ)
Kakhāru sāga (କଖାରୁ ଶାଗ): Prepared from leaves of the pumpkin plant.
Madarangā sāga (ମଦରଙ୍ଗା ଶାଗ): prepared from leaves of Alternanthera sessilis.
Sorisa sāga (ଶୋରିସ ଶାଗ) : Mustard greens
Methi sāga (ମେଥୀ ଶାଗ): prepared from methi or Fenugreek leaves and besara (mustard paste) cooked with vegetable.^[5]
Matara sāga (ମଟର ଶାଗ): The inner coating of peas is removed and then chopped to make the saga.
Bahal sāga
Kular sāga
Bhader sāga
Jhirel dal sāga

Bengali

In Bengali cuisine, sāg is one of the most important vegetables, being popular throughout the state. Most Bengalis eat at least one dish containing sāg at lunchtime every day - usually fried or accompanied by a little gravy (jhol) and served with rice. A list of the plants that are used as sāg is as below.

Kalmi sāg Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach)
Kosalā/khadā sāg: prepared from amaranth leaves.
Bajji sāg: Prepared from Amaranthus dubius leaves.
Leutiā sāg Amaranthus viridis leaves and tender stems.
Pālong sāg: spinach
Puin sāg : prepared from basella leaves and tender stems.
Bāramāsi/sojnā sāg: prepared from leaves of the drumstick tree. Cooked with lentils or alone with fried onions.
Sunusuniā sāg: Marsilea polycarpa leaves.
Pitāgama sāg
Helencha sāg: Enhydra fluctuans
Daata sāg
- Peyanj sāg: prepared from spring onions Mulor sāg
Lal sāg
Lau sāg : Prepared from the leaves and stems of bottle gourd plant.
Kumro sāg: Prepared from leaves of the pumpkin plant.
Madarangā sāg: prepared from leaves of Alternanthera sessilis.
Sorshe sag: Mustard greens
Methi sāg: prepared from methi or fenugreek leaves and besara (mustard paste) cooked with vegetable.
Matara sāg: The inner coating of peas is removed and then chopped to make the sāga.

Bihar

Kalmi saag
Munga saag
Koira Saag
Gandhari saag
Koinar saag
Chakod saag
Sarla saag
Chench saag
Chimti saag
Katai saag
Dhhahdhhaa saag
Golgola saag
Khesaari saag (Lathyrus sativus)
Poi saag (Basella alba)
Palak saag (Spinach)
Bathua saag (Chenopodium album)
Methi saag (Fenugreek) ^[6]

Jharkhand

There are around 70 varieties of saag in Jharkhand.^[7] Some are as follows:

Beng saag
Bhaji saag
Kalmi saag
Khesari saag
Kohnda saag
Koinar saag
Methi saag
Munga saag
Palak saag
Pechki saag
Poi saag
Putkal saag
Sarla saag

Uttarakhand

Saags (Leafy greens) are an important part of the Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari cuisines of Uttarakhand. The abundance of leafy greens in the state is because of fertile land and forested land. Saags of Sarson (Mustard), Palak (spinach), Mooli (Radish) are common^[8] but exclusive saags cooked in the state are:

Kandali saag / Bicchu ghas ka saag / Sisun ka saag - saag prepared from young leaves of the stinging nettle weed. First the leaves are boiled in water, rendering their stinging hairs harmless, before grinding them into a paste and cooking with ghee, tomato and spices to flavour them. Nettle leaves so prepared are highly nutritious, containing essential minerals and large amounts of protein ^[9]
Lingdi ka saag: made using tender fern leaves.

Haryana

Saag gosht or Hariyali Maans is a version of the dish prepared with meat often of mutton or lamb. This version of the dish is more common in the state of Haryana.^[10] The meat is usually cooked in a Bhatthi (clay oven) before being marinated in the other ingredients.

In winters, saags of Channa/Cholia (chickpea leaves), Sarson (mustard), Methi (fenugreek), Palak (spinach), Bathua (chenopodium) are commonly cooked in Haryanvi households.^[11] ^[12] These saags are mainly eaten with millet breads like Makki ki roti & Bajra ki roti, smeared with ghee or butter.

Punjab

Saag is usually made with mustard leaves in Punjab, although spinach is common in other parts of the world. Saag is commonly served hot, usually with roti (wheat bread), chapati, makki ki roti, bajra ki roti and topped with clarified butter.^[13]

Notes and References

Book: Anderson, E.N. 40. Asian Cuisines Food Culture from East Asia to Turkey and Afghanistan . 2019 . Berkshire Publishing Group. 9781614728467 . en. Spinach greens, or Palak saag, is a traditional winter dish from the Punjab region of northern India and Pakistan.
Web site: Saag (Indian spiced spinach) . Whats4Eats.com . 2012 . Saag makes a tasty and nourishing meal when paired with chapati or naan. . 6 July 2012.
Web site: served with makki ki roti. 29 March 2017.
Web site: Platts . John T. (John Thompson) . 1884 . A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English . 2022-06-19 . dsal.uchicago.edu.
Web site: Recipes Methi Saga Recipes. Lokesh Dash. OrissaSpider.com. dead. https://archive.today/20120915052851/http://www.orissaspider.com/resources/2464-Methi-Saga.aspx. 2012-09-15.
Web site: Bihari Cuisine by Mohita Prasad: Saag Dishes. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071013051514/http://bawarchi.com/bihar/saag.html. 2007-10-13. 2012-10-18. Bawarchi.com.
News: सागों में छिपा है सेहत का राज, कई रोगों की है अचूक दवा; झारखंड में उगते हैं 70 से ज्यादा प्रकार के साग. jagran. 26 August 2020. 19 September 2022.
Book: Singh . Rocky . Highway on my Plate - II: the indian guide to roadside eating . Sharma . Mayur . 2014-07-25 . Random House India . 978-81-8400-642-1 . en.
Web site: Flavours of the land Uttarakhand Tourism . 2022-06-20 . uttarakhandtourism.gov.in.
Web site: Food of Haryana, Restaurants in Haryana, Haryanvi Thali . 2022-06-20 . www.haryanaonline.in.
Book: Haryana (India) . Haryana District Gazetteers . Some locally available green vegetables in Haryana are Channa Saag, Sarson Saag, Bathua in winter.... 1988 . Haryana Gazetteers Organization . en.
Book: K.S. Bhoria . Haryana District Gazetteers : Gurgaon . Winter vegetables of Gurgaon (Haryana) include a wide range of vegetables such as (a) root crops like radish, turnip, carrot; (b) leafy cole crops, like palak, methi and sarson ka saag. 1983 . Chandigarh, Revenue Department.
Web site: Traditional and Wholesome Meal: Makki di Roti, Sarson da Saag, and Lassi . 2024-04-03 . Food and Festivals . en.