“Kashmiri Haak Recipe (Authentic Collard Greens) – Simple, Healthy & Traditional”

🥬 Kashmiri Haak – The Soul of Kashmiri Simplicity

There are some dishes that don’t shout for attention, they quietly win your heart.

Kashmiri Haak is one such gem. Minimal spices, no heavy masalas, yet deeply nourishing and comforting. This is not just food… it’s heritage in a bowl.

🌿 Ingredients

Haak (collard greens or mustard greens)

Mustard oil – 2 tablespoons

Dry red chilies – 2 to 3

Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Water – about 1 to 1.5 cups

🌿 Method

Wash the haak thoroughly, as greens tend to carry a bit of soil. Chop them roughly, not too fine, as the rustic texture is part of its charm.

Heat mustard oil in a deep pan until it reaches its smoking point (this removes the raw smell). Lower the flame.

Add the dry red chilies and a pinch of hing. Let them release their aroma, this is where the magic begins.

Now add the chopped haak directly into the pan. No sautéing for too long, just gently stir.

Add salt and pour in water. Cover and let it cook on medium flame until the leaves soften and release their natural juices.

Do not overcook, haak should remain vibrant and slightly textured, not mushy.

🌏 Ingredient Notes (Singapore Friendly)

Collard greens are available in Singapore through specialty online grocers, international supermarkets, and sometimes in high-end air-flown produce sections.

If you can’t find them, don’t worry — haak adapts beautifully👌

You can use,

- Kai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) – closest in texture and robustness

- Chye Sim / Nai Bai – lighter, but still works well

- Swiss Chard – a good substitute from specialty stores

Each brings its own personality, but the soul of the dish remains intact.

🍲 How Haak is Traditionally Enjoyed

Kashmiri haak is not plated like a curry, it is experienced.

It is typically prepared as a simple, light, soupy broth, known as haak-rus, where mustard oil, dried red chilies, hing, and sometimes garlic come together in quiet harmony. (My recipe doesn't have garlic)

The leaves are kept whole or roughly torn, never fussed over.

Even the stems are treasured, cooked until tender, offering a gentle crunch and natural sweetness.

🍚 The Classic Pairing

Haak is always served hot, over a generous mound of plain steamed basmati rice.

The magic lies in the rus, the broth, gently coating each grain of rice, creating a meal that is comforting, grounding, and deeply satisfying.

It is not meant to be indulgent or heavy, it is meant to nourish, sustain, and soothe.

🥗 Nutrition & Cooking Wisdom

Collard greens are an exceptionally nutrient-dense, low-calorie cruciferous vegetable.

Rich in Vitamin K (over 600% of daily requirement in one cooked cup)

High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calcium

Supports bone health, immunity, and overall wellness

Important Note:

Due to the high Vitamin K content, those on blood thinners should consume it consistently and mindfully.

Selection Tip

Choose firm, dark green leaves, smaller leaves are usually more tender and sweeter.

Cooking Tip

Lightly steam or cook for 10 minutes or less to retain maximum nutrients and that beautiful green vibrancy.

✨ The Sukanya Touch

No onion. No elaborate masalas.

Just purity, simplicity, and respect for the ingredient.

The real beauty of Kashmiri Haak lies in what is not added.

🌼 Closing Note

In a world chasing complex flavours, Haak gently reminds us, less is not just more… sometimes, less is everything.

#KashmiriHaak #CollardGreensRecipe #HealthyIndianFood #KashmiriCuisine #SimpleCooking #ComfortFood #IndianVegetarian #CleanEating #TraditionalRecipes #SukanyasMusings

NEDAR AND HAAQ IN YAKNI - Lotus Roots and Spinach In a Yogurt Gravy

NEDAR AND HAAQ IN YAKNI - Lotus Roots and Spinach In a Yogurt Gravy
Nedar means Lotus Roots, Haaq means Spinach or Greens and Yakni means Yogurt.
Instead of using Spinach you can also use Kohlrabi leaves. Kohlrabi leaves also known in short as kohl greens is widely eaten in Kashmir.

What is Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group) is a low, stout cultivar of the cabbage that will grow almost anywhere. The name comes from the German Kohl ("cabbage") plus Rabi ("turnip"), because the swollen stem resembles the latter.

Its origin in nature is the same as that of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts: They are all bred from, and the same species as, the wild mustard plant.

The Yogurt in this dish makes it bland, rich and tasty. Lotus Roots have a very high fibre content and Spinach of course as all of us know is very rich in Iron. Since Mustard oil is used mostly in Kashmir, if we use Mustard oil for this dish it will give a more authentic Kashmiri taste.

Ingredients
Lotus roots – 150 gms
Spinach – 1 bunch
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Grated Ginger – 1 tsp
Grated Garlic – ½ tsp
Dried Red chilies – 3-4 (Use Kashmiri Chillies which are less in spice and have a deep red color)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp.

Method
Wash the mud off the lotus roots thoroughly. Once it is nicely cleaned. Chop the roots into roundels, the roundels should be around 1 inch thick. Wash again, add a pinch of salt and pressure cook it till it becomes tender. Else u can also traditionally boil it in a vessel until it becomes tender. Once done, drain the water off the lotus roots and keep aside. The reason you have to cook the lotus roots separately is because, lotus roots are very tough and tend to take a long time to cook whereas Spinach gets cooked in a jiffy.

Clean and wash the Spinach and chop them into pieces and keep aside. Incase you are using the Leaves of the Kohlrabi, boil it separately till half tender.

Heat oil in a kadhai (wok), Add the grated ginger & garlic and fry for a minute. Add the red chillies and fry until plump. Add turmeric and salt. Add the yogurt and stir till it gets mixed well. Keep stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes. Now add the uncooked and chopped spinach or the half cooked Kohl greens. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.Now add the cooked lotus roots. Mix well.Cook till the gravy gets absorbed into the Nedar and Haaq. It should become dry, almost semisolid. At this point sprinkle ½ tsp of Garam Masala, Mix well. Stir for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from fire and serve hot with Chappati or rice.

HAAQ - A Spinach Curry

HAAQ
Haaq means Spinach or Greens in Kashmir. This is a simple everyday Kashmiri dish. It is very nutritious and the fennel gives the dish a completely different flavor. Kashmiris use Mustard Oil and using Mustard oil gives a more authentic taste to the dish.
Ingredients
Spinach – 1 bunch
Ginger – a small piece
Green chilies – 1-2 (as per spice required)
Dried Red chilies - 1-2 (Use Kashmiri Chilles which are less in spice and give a very red color)
Crushed fennel seeds (saunf) – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Oil – 1tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method
Clean and wash the Spinach and chop them into pieces and keep aside. Dry roast fennel seeds and Keep aside. You can alternatively use roasted fennel seeds. In a Kadhai(wok), add oil, Once the oil is hot, add a pinch of asafetida, the roasted fennel seeds, red chilies, green chilies, and ginger and fry till you see the red chillies become plump and the green chillies change the color. Now add the chopped spinach, Add salt as required and cook covered. Once the spinach is cooked. Mix well and Serve hot with Chappati or Rice.

Note : Reduce the number of chillies as per spice required.