Facts About Saag
Saag, sag or saga is a leaf vegetable dish eaten in the Indian subcontinent with bread such as roti or naan, or rice. Saag can be made from mustard greens, collard greens, basella, finely chopped broccoli or other greens, along with added spices and sometimes other ingredients such as paneer.
Saag is common 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 da saag (mustard plant leaves), which may be eaten with makki di roti, a yellow roti made with maize flour. Saag aloo (spinach and potato) and saag gosht (spinach and goat) are common dishes in Punjabi cuisine, which are also served in restaurants and take-aways in the Western world (where the goat is commonly replaced with lamb).
Odisha
In Odia cuisine, sāga is one of the most important vegetables. It is popular all over the state. A large varieties 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
- 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.
- Matara sāga (ମଟର ଶାଗ): The inner coating of peas is removed and then chopped to make the saga.
- Bahal sāg
- Kular sāg
- Bhader sāg
- Jhirel dal sāg
Bengali
In Bengali cuisine, sāg is one of the most important vegetables. It is popular all over the state. Most of the Bengalis use at least one sāg everyday during lunch. They eat sāg fried or little gravy (jhol) 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.
Punjab
- Saag paneer is a dish that contains paneer, a type of cheese.
- Saag gosht is a version of the dish prepared with gosht (meat), often lamb. This version of the dish is more common in Pakistan since meat is more prevalent in the country's cuisine. The meat is usually cooked in a tandoor before being marinated in the other ingredients.
- Aloo saag (also spelled aalu saag) consists of boiled or fried aloo (potatoes) in a curry made with reduced mustard leaves. It is usually made with mustard leaves in Punjab, although spinach is common in other parts of the world. Saag aloo is commonly served hot, usually with naan, chapati, and makki di roti, and topped with ghee.
Pakistan