Sak Attraction

Spinach Paneer

Sak is a very special vegetable dish. Literally the name means 'spinach'. In Bengal, where there are many dozens of varieties of green leafy vegetables, Sak(pronounced 'shak') is far from ordinary.

It has a special place in the Devotional Kitchens of Lord Sri Krishna and that of his most recent incarnation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes in a song glorifying the relishing of food offered to Krishna. He sings : "heno sak-asvadane, krsna-prema aise mane, sei preme koro asvadana jada-buddhi pari-hari', prasada bhojana kori', 'hari hari' bolo sarva-jan - O brothers! One day at Santipura, in Sri Advaita's house, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda were seated to take their meal. When Lord Caitanya tasted the green vegetables, He said, 'My Dear Devotees, this sak is so delicious! Lord Krsna has definitely tasted it. At the taste of such sak as this, love of Krsna arises in the heart. In such love of God you should take this prasada. Giving up all materialistic conceptions and taking the Lord's prasada, all of you just chant 'Hari! Hari!'"

Chaitanya Bhagavata, a much loved devotional text composed in Bengali states: "Mother Saci knows that Lord Caitanya is greatly satisfied with sak, therefore she cooked twenty different varieties. The vegetable known as sak is more fortunate that any other preparation, for the Lord eats it again and again.

Slightly smiling the Lord takes His meal, speaking, the glories of sak to everyone. The Lord says "this sak is called Acyuta, by eating the sak attraction for Krsna develops (at the time of eating, Lord Caitanya would call different kinds of sak different names of Krishna) by eating patala, bastuka and kala sak, one gains the association of the vaisnava's life after life. If one eats salinca or helanca sak, he remain free from disease and gets devotion to Krishna". (CB Antya 4.279, 293, 295, 298)

Bengali Spinach (Sak)

The spinach is only lightly cooked, and the seasoning is subtle and unobtrusive to allow the full flavour of the greens to emerge.

Avoid cooking the greens in aluminium or cast-iron, since they tend to discolour and absorb flavours from the pan. Stainless steel, enamel or iron, or a non-stick surface is ideal.

Ingrediants

• 2kg spinach, about 2 large bunches, washed and chopped

• 1 tablespoon ghee

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

• 1 teaspoon chopped and seeded green chilies

• 2 teaspoons freshly minced ginger

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder

• 2 teaspoons butter

• 1½ teaspoons lemon juice

Method

1. Place the spinach in a 5-litre/quart saucepan over moderate heat. Sprinkle on a few drops of water. Place a lid on the pan and cook the spinach for about 5 minutes, or until it softens.
2. Remove the spinach from the pan and squeeze off all the liquid. You may wish to reserve it for soup stocks.
3. Rinse the saucepan and dry it. Pour the ghee into the saucepan and place it over moderate heat.
4. When hot, add the cumin seeds and fry them until they turn a shade or two darker.
5. Sprinkle in the fenugreek seeds and fry them very briefly until they darken slightly.
6. Add the chili and ginger, and stir them for half a minute, then add the very well drained spinach.
7. Stir briefly, then add the sugar, salt, nutmeg, butter and lemon juice.
8. Cook the spinach for 1 or 2 minutes more, then remove from the heat and serve immediately.