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Kashmir / North India · Indian

Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens)

The everyday green of every Kashmiri table: leafy haak simmered whole in water with mustard oil, asafoetida, and a single dried red chili, until silky and brothy. Minimalist, soulful, and eaten with rice at nearly every meal.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published July 4, 2026

A bowl of brothy Kashmiri haak — vivid green whole collard-style leaves in a thin peppery broth with a whole dried red chili — beside a mound of steamed rice.

Haak — a leafy green of the collard/kale family — is the most everyday dish in Kashmir, eaten with rice at perhaps more meals than any other. Cooked with stunning restraint (mustard oil, hing, dried red chili, and water, often no onion or garlic), it's the humble counterpoint to the rich meat dishes of the Wazwan, and beloved by Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits alike.

Yield
Serves 4
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Difficulty
Easy

Haak is the green that anchors the Kashmiri table — leafy collard-family greens simmered whole in a thin, peppery broth of mustard oil, asafoetida, and a single dried red chili. It’s eaten with rice at more Kashmiri meals than almost anything else, the humble, everyday counterpoint to the rich meat dishes of the Wazwan, and it’s loved across Kashmiri Muslim and Pandit kitchens alike.

A masterclass in restraint

There’s almost nothing to haak, and that’s the point. Mustard oil, hing, whole dried chili, water, salt — often no onion, no garlic, no powder of spices. With so little, the green itself has to carry the dish, and it does: silky, faintly bitter, peppery from the mustard oil. It’s proof that great cooking is sometimes about leaving things out.

Brothy, not dry

Haak is not a dry sautéed green. It’s cooked with plenty of water so it stays soupy, and the broth — aab — is half the dish, ladled with the leaves over rice. Cook it uncovered on higher heat so the greens stay vivid and tender; a tiny pinch of soda keeps the colour bright, the traditional trick.

Mustard oil is the soul

As with much Kashmiri and eastern Indian cooking, mustard oil is essential — heat it to smoking and cool it slightly to mellow its bite before blooming the hing and chili. That, plus the greens and water, is the whole recipe.

Serve it brothy over rice, alongside dum aloo or rogan josh. Or browse the full recipe collection.

Ingredients

Serves
4

For the haak

  • 1 large bunch haak greens (or collard greens / kale as substitute) Leaves kept whole or in large pieces with tender stems; haak itself is hard to find outside Kashmir, so collards work well.
  • 3 tbsp mustard oil Essential to the flavour; heat to smoking and cool slightly before use.
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) Use gluten-free hing if needed.
  • 2 whole dried red chilies (Kashmiri) Added whole, not powdered — the traditional gentle heat.
  • 1/4 tsp green cardamom or a pinch of soda (optional) A tiny pinch of soda keeps the green vivid, the traditional trick; optional.
  • salt and plenty of water

Method

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  1. Wash the greens well and keep the leaves whole or roughly torn, with tender stems.

    Why: Haak is cooked in large pieces, not finely chopped — part of its rustic character and texture.

  2. Heat the mustard oil to smoking, cool slightly, then add the asafoetida and whole dried red chilies for a few seconds.

    Why: Smoking the mustard oil removes its raw sharpness; blooming hing and whole chili in it builds the entire (deliberately minimal) flavour base.

  3. Add the greens, salt, and plenty of water — enough to keep it brothy — and bring to a boil.

    Why: Haak is meant to be soupy, eaten with its cooking liquid (the broth, called 'aab') over rice; it's not a dry sauté.

  4. Boil uncovered on medium-high until the greens are silky-tender but still green, about 15 minutes.

    Why: Cooking uncovered on higher heat keeps the colour bright; a tiny pinch of soda helps too. Tender-but-vivid is the goal.

  5. Serve the greens with their broth.

    Why: The peppery, mustard-oil-scented broth is half the dish, ladled with the greens over rice.

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Variations

  • Haak with nadru or vegetables

    Add lotus stem (nadru) rounds or other vegetables to the same brothy base for variety.

  • Monj haak

    Use kohlrabi greens and bulb (monj) for the kohlrabi version of haak, equally beloved in Kashmir.

  • Spicier

    Add an extra dried chili or a pinch of Kashmiri chili powder, though the classic is gently spiced.

Serving & Storage

Serve brothy, with plenty of steamed rice to soak up the liquid. It's the everyday green alongside richer dishes like dum aloo or rogan josh.

Pairs with: Steamed rice, Kashmiri dum aloo, Rogan josh, Plain yogurt.

Storage: Best fresh and bright green; keeps 1–2 days refrigerated, though the colour dulls. Reheat gently.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 1 cup with broth)

Calories
120
Protein
4 g
Carbs
7 g
Fat
9 g
Fiber
4 g
Sugar
1 g
Sodium
320 mg

Notable micronutrients: Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Calcium

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is haak and what can I substitute?

Haak is a leafy green of the collard/kale family central to Kashmiri cooking. Outside Kashmir it's hard to find, so collard greens are the best substitute, with kale or even spinach (cooked more briefly) as alternatives.

Why is haak cooked so simply?

Restraint is the point. With just mustard oil, asafoetida, whole dried chili, and water, haak lets the green itself shine and provides a light, brothy counterpoint to the rich meat dishes of Kashmiri cuisine. It's everyday food, cooked the same way for generations.

How do I keep the greens bright green?

Cook uncovered on medium-high heat and don't overcook. A tiny pinch of baking soda in the water is the traditional trick to preserve the vivid colour, though it's optional.

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