The great Indian Saag saga: A winter love affair with Sarson, Gongura, Lai Xaak Bhaji and Saag Gosht-Baati

THe overwinter saag saga is upon us. Veggie vendors’ stalls ar succulent william green these days, flooded with winter saags and an abundance of variants. Across the length and breadth of the country, the specific saag may change, but the phenomenon — healthy, flavourful, and aromatic — remains the same.The choices are vast: from the North Indian staples like Sarson ka Saag (mustard), Sahjan (drumstick), Arbi leaves (taro root), Chaulai (Amaranth), Soya (dill leaves), Methi (fenugreek), Palak (spinach), and Bathua (wild spinach); to regional specialties like Haak and Sonchal Saag in Jammu and Kashmir, Helencha (buffalo spinach) in West Bengal, Lai Xaak Bhaji in Assam, Ambadi (sorrel) leaves in Maharashtra, and Gongura and Kalmi Saag or Anne Soppu (water spinach) in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The list is long. Winter specials like saaga-pyaz, saaga-lahsun, shaljam-patta, mooli-patta and more add to the numbers.We dig into the green love of foodies, which has special pairings, recipes, and names in different regions.South delights Ramada Hotel executive chef Avinash Kumar, who had a long stint at a five-star hotel in Bengaluru, says, “Gongura (sorrel leaves) is famous for its sour taste and is a staple in South Indian cuisine, especially in Andhra and Karnataka. The tangy leaves are highly nutritious, rich in vitamins A and C, folate, iron, and antioxidants. We make chicken, rice, pickles, dal (pappu), and various stir-fries with it.”He adds that deep South, Saag Murg, Cheera Thoran (amaranth with grated coconut), and Keerai Masiyal (saag with lentils) are popular in the Palappak region of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.North-central tadka The greens offer amazing pairings, providing ample options for chefs and home cooks. “Methi parantha, bathua puri, a variety of saag dal, muli-bhujiya with millet breads, besan-roti with saag, and a range of raitas — there is so much. We recently paired Saag chicken and mutton with ghee-dipped baati, and it turned out to be an amazing combo. The best part is we don’t need to worry about vegetarians, as their options increase too,” says Chef Mohsin Qureshi, executive chef at Saraca Hotel, Lucknow. Chef Avinash Kumar adds another perspective: “I hail from Bihar, where we have Bathua wali Dal Saag, Chana Saag, dehati-style Saag Marjhora, Thariya, and Genhari. My mother keeps it a bit undercooked without adding much to it, and it is paired with rice, millet roti, and bhaji.”Punjabi supremacy Celebrity chef Amrita Raichand terms saag as the real super-food, packed with iron, vitamins, and fibre, which is excellent for gut health and digestion.“Many saags are available year-round now, but they taste best and are most nutritious in this season. My family is from Pakistan (then India), our roots are in Punjab, we have lived in Jharkhand, and now we live in Mumbai. What has never changed is the saag and our Punjabi love for it. Have it simply ‘chaunk kar’ or in makkhan-dripped makke ki roti and sarson-ki-roti form—it’s a very healthy delicacy. As a chef, there is so much to experiment with, but I love them in authentic forms like methi parantha.”Greens from East to West In Assam, the saag variants differ slightly from those in the North, with distinct textures and processing methods.Khemchand Godiyal, executive chef at Hotel Palacio, Guwahati, explains, “Here we have Lai Xaak Bhaji (mustard greens with potatoes), Mula Xaak Bhaji (radish leaves), Gahori Lai Xaak (pork with saag), and Morisha Xaak Bhaji (red amaranth leaves with potatoes). We also have Dhekiya Xaak Bhaji (fiddlehead fern leaves), which is available only in Assam and Uttarakhand. The use of mustard oil, onion, ginger, garlic, and jolokia (chilli) adds flavour. In Kolkata, you have the Bengali Helencha or buffalo spinach, but everything is very distinct.”The popular Gujarati versions are Sarsav nu Shaak (sarson-badhua-palak), Saragva Nu Shak (sehjan) and Sev Tamate Nu Shaak. Dana Muthia Sabji is another speciality which is prepared with methi and coriander leaved with green peas, pigeon peas and broad beans with dumplings.