Chinese pickled mustard green is quite similar to Vietnam dưa chua is a featured ingredients in many Chinese cuisine especially in Shangdong and Sichuan cuisine.
In Szechuan cuisine, pickled vegetables are hidden stars. They are not as famous as Kung pao chicken, twice cooked pork or Mapo tofu, but they are side ingredients for many yummy dishes like Szechuan boiled fish with pickled vegetables.
When I was still a child, my grandmother grew several different types of mustards including this mustard green (Chinese leaves mustard 芥菜) and mustard with large stem (大头菜). The former one was pickled directly and the later one was cut into shreds and sun dried before storing in the jars. Each time, when the fresh pickled vegetables were ready, the aroma filled the whole room and we were all expecting yummy dishes out of them.
This indeed is a very easy and simple but there are several tips I need to share. I am using a large glass jar and I pick around 4 trees each time.
- How to choose mustard green for pickling recipes
For pickling, I would recommend choose matured ones with some stem than younger ones because they usually have stronger taste and contains less water.
- How to prepare the container-jar
No matter you are using a glassy jar or Earthenware jar; soak it with boiling water (really hot waters) for around 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. It is really important to use oil-free and water free tool to take some of the pickled mustard greens out.
- How long can this pickled mustard green keep?
It can be kept for around 6 months, so you can make a large batch once. But all the mustard green should be soaked in the water, so you will need a large container.
Separate the mustard green or cut into large chunks and rinse in running water. Discard any dirt leaves.Lay the washed mustard greens in a clean gridiron or anything similar to dry the water. Turn over several times and make sure that there is no water on the surface. I would suggest air-drying for around 12 hours until the leaves begin to wither.
Prepare the glass gar: wash the gar with boiling water and then set aside to drain.
Transfer the withered mustard green in a large bowl. Rub the leaves with salt until they are totally withered and begin to loose water. Squeeze the water out. Then place the mustard green leaves in the glass jar. Press each layer down. Add around 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn seeds in the jar. Pour enough boiled water to soak all the leaves.
Pickled Mustard Green Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg mustard greens
- Boiled water as needed
- 2.5 tablespoons salt
- 1 large airtight glass jar
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn seeds , optional
Instructions
- Separate the mustard green or cut into large chunks and rinse in running water. Discard any dirt leaves.
- Lay the washed mustard greens in a clean gridiron or anything similar to dry the water. Turn over several times and make sure that there is no water on the surface. I would suggest air-drying for around 12 hours until the leaves begins to wither.
- Prepare the glass gar: wash the gar with boiling water and then set aside to drain.
- Transfer the withered mustard green in a large bowl. Rub the leaves with salt until they are totally withered and begin to loose water. Transfer the mustard green leaves in the glass jar.
- Place 1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorn seeds and remaining salt in the jar. Pour water to soak all the leaves. Use a weigh to make sure the mustard greens are soaked in water.
- Cover the jar completely, move to shade place and wait for 7 to 15 days until the water becomes bright yellowish green (the time is based on room temperature, the warmer, the shorter).
- Taste it to see whether it is ready. The well- picked mustard green should be salty and slightly sour.
Notes
Dear friends, is possible to used bok choy
Best regards, jose
We never use Bok Choy to make pickled. Sorry I don’t know Jose. But I really don’t recommend you changing the ingredient.
My mom stir fries this with cabbage and ground pork. So yummy!
I tried this recipe (I’m a beginner), and after one week I tried a little bit. It was so salty, almost inedible. After rubbing the leaves with salt, then adding a tablespoon of salt to the jar, does seem like a lot of salt. Am I doing something wrong? Should they be rinsed before using?
Hi Gary,
The pickled mustard green should be slightly salty than common dishes. Have you squeeze out the salted water? And how it tastes? If it is well fermented but just too salty, you can soak them in clean water and use this batch in stir fry dishes or soups.
I have been making pickled mustard greens for many years. I never rub the leaves with salt, I just wash with water. Add 1/4 cup of salt for each gallon of water. I use tap water at room temperature.
My grandma used to make this. Now my mom makes them but they don’t taste the same. It’s missing the sour taste. Any ideas?
Anna,
If it has no sour taste, I believe the reason is the overused salt.
Some recipes call for “preserved” and some for “pickled” mustard greens. Are these different?
Yes, the two use different methods. Preserved usually is dry without pickling water.
Thanks so much for the recipe! I used this with my home grown mixed baby mustards and it came out beautifully. Tangy, salty, just right!
Great try Nina. Home grown vegetables are best for pickles.
Hi Elaine, can you please explain addig the vitamin c to avoid nitrites? what forms does the vitamin c come in??
I recommend using fresh lemon juice as a source of vitamin C. Or you can use vitamin C powder or tablet.
Thank you for sharing this Elaine! I can’t wait to try it myself. It looks delicious – I love pickled vegetables regardless of what they are. I’m excited to do this at home!
Most Americans think “pickled” means vinegar. So I think you so much for this different meaning, and I like the flavor very very much when i made it.
Vinegar is not nice flavor to my taste.
Peter,
Chinese pickled use salty water only and the sour taste is bought by Lactobacillus. While acetic acid is responsible for the sour taste of vinegar. So they taste differently. I stand with you and prefer sour from Lactobacillus more than the taste from acetic aid.