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Koinar saag
कोइनार साग: young kachnar leaves cooked with garlic, chilli and mustard oil
In Jharkhand's spring, as the kachnar (Bauhinia) trees put out pale tender leaves, Santhal, Munda and Oraon families gather them for koinar saag, a slightly tangy, earthy green cooked with lots of garlic in mustard oil and eaten with rice and dal or with madua roti. Some households dry the leaves to use through the summer. The usual mistake is using older, darker leaves, which stay tough and fibrous however long you cook them. Chef's tip: blanch the leaves first and squeeze them hard; it softens the faint astringency and the saag absorbs the garlic oil better.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the saag
- 10 ½ oz young kachnar leaves (koinar)or tender spinach
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 8 garlic clovesthinly sliced
- 1 green chillichopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Blanch 10 ½ oz young kachnar leaves (koinar) in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, cool and squeeze out as much water as you can. Chop finely.
6 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a kadhai until it smokes lightly, then lower the heat.
2 minStep 3: Add 2 dried red chillies, 8 garlic cloves and 1 green chilli and fry 1–2 minutes until the garlic turns light gold.
2 minStep 4: Add the leaves, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground turmeric and stir-fry 5–6 minutes over medium heat until dry, glossy and well coated. Serve with rice.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does koinar saag take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of green chilli?
- A pinch of chilli flakes per chilli.
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