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What Do I Do With It?
Spice up any spread with these fermented greens. Story and recipe by Shannon Weber, Writer and Recipe Developer, aperiodictableblog.com Photography by jennifer silverberg
With the resurgence of pickled vegetables and home cooks’ increasing willingness to experiment, it’s not hard to find ways to tuck pickled mustard greens into everyday dishes. But if you’re stuck for how to use them, look to a typical Korean table. These greens pair well with rich or spicy meat and fish, slicing right through any fattiness, and their sourness makes them perfect for adding to stir-fries, noodle dishes and fried rice alongside less pungent vegetables. Their astringency works to bolster
What Is It?
brothy soups as well. Like bao? Pickled mustard greens are a defining component of
Pickled mustard greens (sometimes labeled as “sour mustard greens” in Asian
gua bao (Taiwanese pork belly buns). If you like greens with your eggs, you’ll also love
markets) are the deliciously funky result of fermenting the fresh greens in a rice
the combination of flavors and textures in the following frittata recipe.
vinegar brine with chiles and garlic. I’m not talking about those slender, delicate
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mustard greens you see at most supermarkets: These pickles are made from
Pickled mustard greens are simple to prepare – just look for gai choy at any Asian
bodacious gai choy, which looks like a mix between napa cabbage and bok choy.
market and then find a recipe online. The packaged ones abound, as well, but
Like most pickles, pickled mustard greens are an addictive mix of sweet and
remember that every brand has a different flavor profile, from sweet-spicy to 100
sour, with a peppery bite and whiffs of dill pickle and horseradish.
percent funky, so if you don’t like the first one you try, don’t give up.
feastmagazine.com / a pr i l 2 0 2 1
