Sisunak Saag
Veg
Vegan
Stinging nettle greens (sisun/bicchu buti) — the stingers neutralised by boiling — cooked with mustard oil, garlic, and green chillies into a dark, mineral-rich saag. A seasonal forager's dish unique to the Himalayan foothills, sisunak saag is packed with iron and eaten in spring when the young nettle shoots emerge across Kumaon's hillsides.
Cuisines
Kumaoni
Garhwali
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 250 grams | sisunak (nettle leaves) |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 cup | water |
| 2 tablespoons | bhang seeds (hemp seeds) |
| 1 medium | onion, finely chopped |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced |
| — | salt to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the sisunak (nettle leaves) thoroughly and chop them coarsely.
- 2 In a pan, dry roast the bhang seeds until they start to pop, then grind them into a coarse powder.
- 3 Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat and add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
- 4 Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
- 5 Add turmeric powder and red chili powder, and sauté for another minute.
- 6 Add the chopped sisunak leaves to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- 7 Add water and salt to taste, then cover and let it simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 8 Stir in the roasted bhang seed powder and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- 9 Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.
Tips
Be careful when handling nettle leaves as they can sting; using gloves is recommended.