Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe | how to cook collard greens

06 Mar Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe | how to cook collard greens

Last Updated on May 3, 2021 by blessmyfoodbypayal

Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe | how to cook collard greens with step wise pictorial and video method. No onion, no garlic, vegan and gluten-free recipe.

WHAT IS HAAK?

Haak is a Kashmiri word equivalent to  ‘greens’ in English or in Hindi, referred to ‘saag’. So, Haak is a kind of green saag, a staple food from the land of Kashmir (J&K), India. Though it is grown and eaten in few more parts of the world also.

Termed as “COLLARD GREENS” in English, haak saag is a part of the cruciferous vegetable family.

Kale, cabbage, bok choy, turnips broccoli, brussels sprouts and rutabaga are some of the Vegetables belonging to the same family.

ABOUT THIS HAAK SAAG RECIPE

Vegan and Gluten-free, this recipe of haak saag is made in a typical and authentic Kashmiri style.

Also named as Koshur Haak, this recipe of haak saag is also named as Haak Rus (haak broth).

This soupy dish is extremely easy to make using just 6 ingredients in total, out of which 1 is water.

This is undeniable fact that most of the Indian cooking ask for certain regular and routine ingredients like, onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, garam masala and coriander powder.

But to your utter surprise, this recipe of haak saag uses none of the ingredient mentioned above.

Probably this is the reason that this recipe is considered a poor man’s food because it uses leaves from vegetables, those are otherwise supposed to be discarded.

WHAT PART OF COLLARD GREENS ARE EDIBLE?

Haak saag/collard greens comprise of a stem and green big sized leaves.

Undoubtedly, the leaves are edible but as far as stem is concerned, it depends on how fragile is this.

Hard and tough stems should be discarded as they are not going to turn tender and worth eating even after cooking.

INGREDIENTS USED

HAAK SAAG : This is the star ingredient of the recipe. Choose the quantity as per your requirement. You can increase or decrease the amount depending on the servings.

Always pick up the deep green leaves which are fresh and young.

Don’t chop them finely but only tear apart from hard stems.

MUSTARD OIL : Not just Haak saag, but whole of the kashmiri cuisine solely rests on mustard oil for great flavours and texture.

Haak saag also gets its authentic taste from mustard oil as it imparts an extra flavour to this dish.

If you are really interested in cooking haak saag in a strict kashmiri style, then look for no option to mustard oil.

Furthermore, this point needs to be cleared that the quantity of oil mentioned in the list of ingredients is not any typo error…lol.

Yes, kashmiri food ask for too much of oil and when you are following a tradition to the T, you can’t introduce your choices and wisdom.

Rather, I would say, I have used less oil than it should have been. I have seen people adding to the extent of 1/2 cup of mustard oil for this much of quantity of haak saag, cooked for the present post.

ASAFOETIDA – Yet another flavourful and aromatic ingredient, which, not only imparts mesmerizing aroma to this simple dish but also helps in digestion.

Do note that some of the asafoetida packings have flour in it. In case you are in a glutenfree diet, then look for glutenfree asafoetida.

GREEN CHILLIES : Green chillies are used to add spiciness to this dish. Even you can use whole red chillies too, but never add red chilli powder to it.

Red chilli powder (& also turmeric) will spoil its colour.

SALT : Salt is not added  merely to bring taste to food but it helps in cooking the food little faster.

But be careful while adding salt to haak saag. You may add salt by the appearance of raw haak saag but when it is cooked, it shrinks down to more than half.

So always add less salt in the beginning while cooking green leafy vegetables and adjust it at the end.

WATER : This Vegetable is cooked in water only so you can’t undermine the role of water in this recipe.

This recipe gives liberty to add water as per your requirement. If you are serving haak saag with rice, then quantity of water needs to be more. And in case eating saag with roti, amount of water can be decreased.

Furthermore, water can be added at any stage while saag is getting cooked. If you realise that most of the water has evaporated but the saag is still undercooked, simply add more water.

HOW TO WASH COLLARD GREENS?

As collard greens grow in a sandy soil and are freshly picked, so they are supposed to be filled with lots of dust and grit. This is the reason they need through and proper cleansing.

Remember, always wash collard greens before cutting.

So this is how you should clean collard greens :

1. Take lots of water in a deep and wide vessel. Water must be tepid or Luke warm. Your saag will wilt if you wash it in hot water.

2. Soak collard greens in water for about 10 minutes. You may add some vinegar in water for extra cleansing.

3. After 10 minutes, start swishing haak saag in the water by turning their sides too.

4. If you can see some dirt on any leaf, just remove it by rubbing the leaf. Better if you put your hand on every leaf so that they go through deep cleansing.

5. Take them out in a colander and rinse under the running water.

6. You may repeat the process of cleaning to get the greens purely clean.

WHY TO PICK UP THE BIG & WIDE PAN/KADAI?

This is the tragic part of all leafy vegetables that they appear to be too much in quantity when raw, but, while going through the process of cooking, they keep on shrinking and shrinking.

Same is the case with haak saag. I used the biggest and wider kadai from my kitchen, still it was tough to manage in the beginning. However at the end when, it was less than half filled…lol.

WHY TO COOK HAAK SAAG UNCOVERED ?

While going through the making process, you will find that it has been suggested not to cover the pan with a lid.

Actually this tip is not applicable to haak saag only but to all the green leafy veggies. Cook by covering fades away the natural green colour of Vegetables making them look stale and dull.

HOW TO COOK SAAG QUICKLY ?

From beginning to end, this saag may take about 45 minutes and the major portion of time goes in Cooking.

This doesn’t mean saag is hard to cook but because it is being cooked uncovered.

There might be a situation when you have very limited time in hand to cook this.

In such a situation you can cook it covered or even more quicker in pressure cooker. Just follow the similar process and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.

Yes, it will amount to compromise with the colour but situation is not similar always, especially for working people.

HOW TO SERVE HAAK SAAG?

Traditionally, Haak Saag is always served with plain steamed rice.

Though there is no bar in eating it with roti, but in such a case, you will miss that traditional touch.

COLLARD GREENS HEALTH BENEFITS

High in nutrients and low in calories, collard greens are rich in vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin C and vitamin K. They are excellent source of calcium, magnesium and iron.

The rich nutrients of haak saag makes healthy bones, lowers the risk of cancer and diabetes. It further helps in fighting against insomnia and in uplifting the mood.

In take of collard greens improves liver functioning, aids digestion, keeps hair and skin in good health.

ALSO SEE few more kashmiri recipes

• Ganth gobi kashmiri style (kohlrabi)
• methi chaman recipe (cottage cheese cooked with fenugreek leaves)
• nadru yakhni (Lotus stem curry)
• Kashmiri dum aloo recipe (potatoes cooked in kashmiri style)
• Kashmiri paneer chaman recipe (Kashmiri laal/red paneer)
• Chaman Kalia | Leider Chhaman recipe (Kashmiri yellow paneer)

STEP WISE PICTORIAL RECIPE OF Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe

1. Wash haak saag very well as elaborated in the beginning of this post.
2. Separate the green leaves from the stems. Don’t chop the leaves as they are traditionally cooked leaving them big.
3. Take mustard oil in a wide pan/kadai and let oil smoke first.
4. The oil must have become extremely hot. Off the heat so that the temperature of oil comes down a bit. Otherwise what you are going to add next will burn immediately.
5. Add asafoetida and green chillies.
6. Now add haak saag, salt and water.
7. Let saag cook on moderate heat. Do note that don’t cover the pan/kadai with a lid.
8. Keep stirring at intervals. As there’s much water in pan, so you really don’t need to stir it quite often.
9. After 30-35 minutes, when the haak saag turns soft and tender enough to eat, off the heat
10. Haak saag is ready.

Serve hot.

NOTES

Authentic kashmiri green leaves recipes ask for much oil, so don’t think oil is too much.

Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe – recipe card

Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe | how to cook collard greens

blessmyfoodbypayal

Authentic Kashmiri Haak saag recipe made in a typical kashmiri style using no elaborate ingredients.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kashmiri

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1 cup = 200 ml

• 1 kg/2.2 Lb Haak Saag/Collard Greens
• 1/4 Cup Mustard oil
• 1/8 tsp Asafoetida/hing
• 2 Green chillies
• Salt to taste
• 4 cup water 800 ml

Instructions

 

• wash haak saag very well, as elaborated in the beginning of this post.
• Separate the green leaves from the stems. Don't chop the leaves as they are traditionally cooked leaving them big.
• Take mustard oil in a wide pan/kadai and let oil smoke first.
• The oil must have become extremely hot. Off the heat so that the temperature of oil comes down a bit. Otherwise what you are going to add next will burn immediately.
• Add asafoetida and green chillies.
• Now add haak saag, salt and water.
• Let saag cook on moderate heat. Do note that don't cover the pan/kadai with a lid.
• Keep stirring at intervals. As there's much water in pan, so you really don't need to stir it quite often.
• After 30-35 minutes, when the haak saag turns soft and tender enough to eat, off the heat.
• Haak saag is ready.
• Serve hot.

Notes

Authentic kashmiri green leaves recipes ask for much oil, so don't think oil is too much.

Keyword collard greens, haak, haak rus, haak saag, koshur haak