Baby Butter Saag
Photo: Carolina Ayala / Contributor
Saag, or saag paneer, a dish that can swing from an overly creamy gloppy dish to a fragrant verdant puree with little chunks of paneer, a simple cheese, has a storied past in Punjab, the north Indian province it originates from. While saag paneer has always been more of a restaurant preparation, home iterations of saag are cooked long and slow or until the greens turn a dark color. It usually consists of a lightly spiced aromatic spinach with optional other added greens like mustard and fenugreek.
The saag I’ve been making for over three decades, whether at home or at the restaurant, has always been a barely cooked electric green nourishing version with a dozen or so spices from cumin, ginger to fenugreek. Today, I bring you saag in its purest and simplest form. In an attempt to feed greens to the newest member of our family, Lion, I’ve arrived at a recipe with just six ingredients. Yes, this saag will remind you of baby food but if only babies ate this well, our world may be a better place! There is a generous amount of butter but feel free to edit or replace with olive or coconut oil for a plant-exclusive version. Lion is eating it with great enthusiasm, and I’ve now started stirring a spoon or two in my scrambled eggs in the morning.