Creamy Kale Saag
This creamy kale saag is full of flavor, cream and deliciousness. Saag is an authentic Punjabi recipe that is made with mustard greens and spinach. Here we are going to be a little adventurous and use kale instead. We’ll also add cream to make this recipe even more exciting. I made it once just to see if saag could be made with kale. And the answer is yes, it can be! Since then, I have made it many times and I still love it.
For protein, I sometimes add chickpeas or baked tofu to this dish. But feel free to add your choice of protein to the recipe. And please do not forget to share your thoughts with me; it gives me a great opportunity to learn from you!
Nothing excites me more than trying new ideas in my kitchen. I put some jazz music on, pour myself a glass of red wine and let the food do its magic. Cooking is a very exciting and, at the same time, a very calming experience for me. It helps me to be present and to stay in the moment. It naturally works like meditation for me.
First, we’ll sauté onions for a few minutes. Next we’ll add in the rest of the ingredients. We’ll let it all simmer for 20 minutes. And finally, we’ll blend it. It’s a very simple recipe. You’re certain to enjoy it! Note that we’ll also be adding tomatoes and cream to make the saag richer and smoother.
I encourage you to share your experience in the comments below if you tried this Creamy Kale Saag recipe or made it differently. If you took a photo, please share with me on my instagram account ‘zesty_zahra’ and I will share your stories there. I am always happy to learn about people’s food choices and preferences!
Creamy Kale Saag
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Yellow Onion medium-size, diced
- 6 cloves Garlic diced
- 1 tbsp Ginger diced
- 2 Roma Tomatoes medium-size, chopped
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
- 6 oz Kale washed, stemmed, and chopped
- 1 cup Chickpeas canned
Instructions
- Heat the pan over medium heat. Add oil, cumin seeds and onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until caramelized.
- Reduce heat to low-medium and add garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Mix and cover with lid for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tomatoes are cooked down. Stir frequently.
- Slightly mash tomatoes with spatula and add coconut milk, garam masala, cumin, coriander powder, turmeric, pepper flakes, and salt. Mix everything well together.
- Slowly add kale and keep stirring until kale has softened (about 5 minutes).
- Cover with lid and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Using a blender or food processor, blend mixture until smooth.
- Transfer the mixture back to the original pan. Add chickpeas and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Serve hot with basmati rice or naan.