Saag or sag is a spinach

Spinach

Spinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions...

 and/or mustard leaf

Mustard plant

Mustards are several plant species in the genera Brassica and Sinapis whose small mustard seeds are used as a spice and, by grinding and mixing them with water, vinegar or other liquids, are turned into the condiment known as mustard or prepared mustard...

-based dish eaten in South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

 with bread such as roti

Roti

Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...

 or naan

Naan

Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is typical of and popular in South and Central Asia, in Iran, and in South Asian restaurants abroad. Influenced by the large influx of South Asian labour, naan has also become popular in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states.Originally, naan is a...

, or rice

Rice

Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

 (in Orissa

Orissa

Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

 and West Bengal

West Bengal

West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...

). Saag can be made from spinach, mustard leaves, or other greens

Leaf vegetable

Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, green vegetables, greens, leafy greens or salad greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots...

, along with added spices and sometimes other ingredients such as paneer

Paneer

Paneer is a fresh cheese common in South Asian cuisine. It is of Indian origin. In eastern parts of India, it is generally called Chhena...

. On some menus, it is called saagwala.

Saag is more common in Punjab

Punjab region

The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...

, especially Sarson ka saag, where it may be eaten with makki ki roti. This roti

Roti

Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...

 is made of corn flour

Flour

Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...

 and is yellow in colour, though it can also be eaten with other breads. Saag/sag however can be a catch-all term for various green-leaved dishes. Sag aloo is a common dish in Pakistani

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

/Indian cuisine as served in restaurants and take-aways in the Western world.

Variations

• Orissa
  • Kalama saga (କଳମ ଶାଗ)
  • Kosala/Khada saga (କୋସଳା ଶାଗ/ଖଡା ଶାଗ)
  • Leutia saga (ଲେଉଟିଆ ଶାଗ)
  • Palanga
    Palak
    Palak is one of the 51 union councils of Abbottabad District in the Hazara province of Pakistan.- Location :Palak is located in the South eastern edge of Abbottabad district...
    
     saga (ପାଳଙ୍ଗ ଶାଗ)
  • Poi saga (ପୋଇ ଶାଗ)
  • baramasi/Sajana saga (ବାରମାସି/ ସଜନା ଶାଗ)
  • Sunusunia saga (ସୁନୁସୁନିଆ ଶାଗ)
  • Pitagama saga (ପିତାଗମା ଶାଗ)
  • Pidanga saga (ପିଡଙ୍ଗ ଶାଗ)
  • Methi saga (ମେଥି ଶାଗ)

Prepared from Methi leaves and Besara (mustard paste) cooked with vegetable

• Punjab
  • Saag paneer or palak paneer
    Palak paneer
    Palak paneer is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of spinach and paneer in a thick curry sauce based on pureed spinach. It is a popular vegetarian dish. Palak paneer is one type of saag...
    
     is a dish that contains paneer
    Paneer
    Paneer is a fresh cheese common in South Asian cuisine. It is of Indian origin. In eastern parts of India, it is generally called Chhena...
    
     cheese and spinach.
  • Saag gosht or palak gosht is a version of the dish prepared with gosht
    Gosht
    Gosht is the transliteration for the Persian word گوشت, meaning meat or flesh, which has been adopted by other South Asian languages.Gosht is an essential part of Pakistani cuisine, which features many meat-based curries. A wide variety of meats are used in Pakistan.In India, gosht dishes are...
    
    (meat), often lamb in the Western world. The meat is usually cooked in a tandoor
    Tandoor
    A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking. The tandoor is used for cooking in Azerbaijan, India, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Central Asia, as well as Burma and Bangladesh.The heat for a tandoor was...
    
     before being marinated in the other ingredients.
  • Sag aloo, saag aalu or palak aloo is fried aloo (potato
    Potato
    The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
    
    es) dipped in spinach curry, saag aloo is usually served with naan
    Naan
    Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is typical of and popular in South and Central Asia, in Iran, and in South Asian restaurants abroad. Influenced by the large influx of South Asian labour, naan has also become popular in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states.Originally, naan is a...
    
    , chapati, and makki di roti. Saag aalu can be made with both spinach and mustard, although spinach is more common. Saag aloo is commonly served hot, and topped with ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
    
    (clarified butter).

External links

• http://www.odiakitchen.com
• http://recipe.fullorissa.com
• http://eodissa.com/recipe
• http://oriyanari.com
• http://suodisha.com