Preserved Mustard Greens

This versatile and quintessential Chinese pickle is a delicious and easy way to eat your greens. Stir-fry it simply with pork, garlic, and ginger—done! Throw it into a lamb and noodle soup—yes! Chop it fine into a relish with jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, black sesame oil, and vinegar—amazing! And straight from the jar with chopsticks? You betcha. In every way, it should spark your creativity; it’s also a blank canvas onto which one may drizzle Chile–Black Bean Oil or Chile Sauce. This is a Chinese super pickle, and there’s nothing it can’t do. Note that although flat Chinese mustard greens (if you can find them) are more traditional, the curly variety are more readily available.

Makes about 2 cups

TIME: 3 DAYS

1 pound curly mustard greens

½ cup distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 teaspoons sugar

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the boil, wash the greens well to rid them of dirt and make the brine by stirring together the vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Boil the greens for 90 seconds, stirring to promote even cooking. They should take on a bright green color. Drain and immediatelyrinse the greens under cold running water to stop the cooking, stirring with your hands to help them cool. Drain the greens and gather them into small bundles at the stem. Squeeze, squeeze, SQUEEZE them with vigor to drain out all of the water and get them as dry as possible. Roll the bundles of greens up in clean kitchen towels to wring out any residual moisture.

Trim the stems, discarding the rough ends. Chop the greens into ½-inch strips and add them to the brine in the bowl. Using your hands, work the brine into the greens, breaking up any tight clumps of vegetables.

Pack the seasoned greens into a pint jar and cover. Let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours before refrigerating. Your pickle is ready to eat, but it will taste even better after 3 days. Refrigerated, it will keep at least a month.

hancheng

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