Indian · Salads & Sides

Saag-Style Greens with Fenugreek

Nayan Desai

by Nayan Desai

Brigaid

Image 1
Tested by
Valentiful
Cooked and tested by the Valentiful team
A vibrant, saag-style dish, inspired by the Indian way of slow-simmering greens with ginger, garlic, and spices until velvety and rich. Here, coconut cream softens the edges and toasted fenugreek salt adds an earthy, aromatic finish.
Tastes
Colors
Techniques
DietaryGluten-Free · Vegan · Soy-Free · Nut-Free · Sesame-Free
Yield2 quarts Greens · ⅓ cup Fenugreek Salt
Serves10 (3/4 cup (150 g))
TimeActive 45m · Inactive 25m · Total 1h 10m

Ingredients

12 g Fenugreektoasted and ground
12 g Cumintoasted and ground
12 g White Peppercorntoasted and ground
40 g Garlicsliced
40 g Ginger Rootminced
400 g Onionssliced
2 Bay Leavesfresh if possible
10 g Fenugreek Saltsee sub-recipe above
30 g Serrano Pepperssliced
1000 g Spinach or Kale or Swiss Chard or Collard GreensRinsed & Dried
1 Lemon or Limejuiced

Sourcing Tips

This dish also works beautifully with a mix of hearty winter greens like kale, chard, mustard or collards; just de-stem and cut the leaves into thick ribbons. You can use the stems too, if you slice them thin. For heartier greens, extend the simmer by 10 minutes.

Instructions

••
MAKE FENUGREEK SALT: Combine kosher salt with toasted and ground fenugreek, cumin, and white pepper. Store in an airtight jar for up to 3 months.
PREPARE AROMATICS: Mince the ginger and slice the onions, garlic, and Serranos. Keep each ingredient separate and ready.
TOAST GARLIC & GINGER: Heat a large Dutch oven or 8–10 qt stock pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add avocado oil, then the sliced garlic. Toast until just golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger and cook ~3 minutes, stirring often, until the raw aroma mellows.
BUILD THE BASE: Raise heat to medium-high and add the sliced onions, bay leaves, and fenugreek salt. Sweat these with constant stirring for 2 minutes. Turn the heat back down to medium, and add Serranos. Continue cooking until pepper are very soft, ~4 minutes.
COOK THE GREENS: Add spinach (or other greens) in batches, about 1½–2 cups at a time, stirring to wilt before adding more. Continue until all the greens are tender but still bright green.
SIMMER: Add coconut cream and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently 20–25 minutes, until the mixture thickens and develops a glossy sheen. If using hearty winter greens like mustard or collards, extend the simmer by 10 minutes.
FINISH & SERVE: Turn off heat and let rest 15 minutes. Stir in lemon or lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional fenugreek salt or plain salt. Serve warm over rice as part of a festive holiday spread. Set the fenugreek salt out alongside the dish in case anyone wants extra (it’s so good!)
Finished cooking?

Serving & Keeping

Serve: Warm
Make ahead: Fenugreek salt can be made up to 3 months in advance, and kept on hand as an aromatic seasoning for curries, dals, and roasted vegetables.
Keeps: Enjoy leftovers within 3 days. Store in the fridge in a sealed Pyrex or similar container.
Surplus Ingredients: Fenugreek Salt
Serve with: Basmati rice or warm flatbread, Roasted root vegetables, Spiced sweet potatoes, Lentil or chickpea stews, Holiday mains like roasted turkey and lamb