flipDaka aru saag — rice and sautéed greens
Daka aru saag — rice and sautéed greens
Why this dish? This is the exact meal of her childhood in Uparbeda: rice and a handful of greens gathered at the edge of the fields, sautéed in mustard oil. Draupadi Murmu, faithful to her rural roots and her sobriety, kept this taste of simple meals all her life, far from the official banquets she avoids.
A mound of steaming white rice and, next to it, a small portion of greens (spinach, amaranth, or mustard leaves) quickly sautéed with garlic, mustard seeds, and a hint of chili. Everything is eaten by hand, mixing the neutral rice with the fragrant bitterness of the leaves.
You see, I was born in a village where we didn't have much, but we never lacked rice or greens. My mother would pick the saag at the edge of the field in the morning, and in the evening she would throw them into hot mustard oil with a crushed garlic clove—nothing more. You take a mouthful of warm rice, mix in a little of those leaves, and you feel all the earth of Odisha. Even today, faced with complicated dishes, I prefer that meal: it is honest, like the people from my home.
- •Local paddy rice — one bowl per person (base of the meal)
- •Foraged greens (amaranth, mustard leaves, wild spinach) — a large handful (bitter and fragrant accompaniment)
- •Raw mustard oil — a drizzle (fat and signature)
- •Garlic — a few cloves (aromatic)
- •Mustard seeds — a pinch (tempering)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Daka aru saag — rice and sautéed greens
A mound of steaming white rice and, next to it, a small portion of greens (spinach, amaranth, or mustard leaves) quickly sautéed with garlic, mustard seeds, and a hint of chili. Everything is eaten by hand, mixing the neutral rice with the fragrant bitterness of the leaves.
Why this dish? This is the exact meal of her childhood in Uparbeda: rice and a handful of greens gathered at the edge of the fields, sautéed in mustard oil. Draupadi Murmu, faithful to her rural roots and her sobriety, kept this taste of simple meals all her life, far from the official banquets she avoids.
You see, I was born in a village where we didn't have much, but we never lacked rice or greens. My mother would pick the saag at the edge of the field in the morning, and in the evening she would throw them into hot mustard oil with a crushed garlic clove—nothing more. You take a mouthful of warm rice, mix in a little of those leaves, and you feel all the earth of Odisha. Even today, faced with complicated dishes, I prefer that meal: it is honest, like the people from my home.
Ingredients (period version)
- Local paddy rice — one bowl per person (base of the meal)
- Foraged greens (amaranth, mustard leaves, wild spinach) — a large handful (bitter and fragrant accompaniment)
- Raw mustard oil — a drizzle (fat and signature)
- Garlic — a few cloves (aromatic)
- Mustard seeds — a pinch (tempering)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Basmati or round rice — 200 g (uncooked) (base of the meal)
- Spinach or amaranth leaves — 300 g (green accompaniment)
- Mustard oil — 2 tbsp (fat and signature)
- Garlic — 3 cloves, minced (aromatic)
- Black mustard seeds — 1/2 tsp (tempering)
- Fresh green chili — 1, slit (optional) (mild heat)
- Salt — 1/2 tsp (seasoning)
Method
- Rinse the rice and cook in boiling salted water until tender; drain.
- Wash and roughly chop the greens.
- Heat the mustard oil in a pan until it lightly smokes, then reduce heat.
- Pop the mustard seeds, add garlic and chili, then the greens.
- Sauté over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, season with salt, and serve immediately alongside a dome of rice.
How it was made : In Santal homes, saag changed with the seasons according to what nature offered at the edge of fields and forests—mustard leaves in winter, amaranth and wild shoots in the monsoon. It was cooked on a clay hearth (chulha) with wood, in an earthen pot, using mustard oil pressed in the village.
The contemporary twist : For a neat presentation, mold the rice in a small inverted bowl and arrange the saag in a crown, with a few toasted mustard seeds for crunch.
Draupadi Murmu · Charactorium
