Fermented mustard green (gai choy) is a very important ingredient for many tasty Chinese dishes. Including stir-fries, steaming, braised meat, soup and even as a side dish. Some of the popular Chinese dishes include Teochew steamed whole fish, and braised pork belly and mustard green. Plus fish head noodles soup, pork and fermented mustard green soup and stir-fry minced pork and fermented mustard green. Another very popular Chinese dish is to utilize leftover meat such as roast pork, roast duck, and Chinese barbecue pork. And braising these meat with pickled mustard green (hum choy). You may also like my gluten free Braised Pork and Fermented Mustard Green recipe.
Check out my other gluten free braised recipes:
- Instant Pot Braised Pork with Tofu;
- Braised Pork and Hard Boiled Eggs;
- Braised Chicken and Hard Boiled Eggs with Mushrooms;
- Chinese Braised Chicken and Potato; and
- Pork and Black Fungus Stew.
Fermented Vs Pickled Greens Health Benefits
There are often confusions between fermented and pickled vegetables. Fermenting is the process of using filtered water, salt and spices, with no vinegar added. As a result, they preserve food with the derivative of lactic acid liquid produced by fermentation. Likewise, stimulate growth of natural probiotics and supporting a healthy digestive system. Alternatively, pickling is the way of preserving the vegetable in vinegar, spices and seasonings. Enabling you to preserve the food but it does not provide the probiotic health benefits of fermentation.
You can purchase fermented mustard green or pickled mustard green (hum choy) from any Asian groceries stores. But they add Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), colouring, preservatives and sometimes soy sauce (with wheat). Resulting in unhealthy food for consumption. In addition, store bought varieties of fermented vegetables are the result of high-level of heat and pressure. Which damages essential nutritional values and do not improve health in anyway. So, I prefer to make my own healthier and naturally gluten free version of fermented vegetables. My fermented mustard green recipe is not only naturally gluten free. But also dairy free, corn free, egg free, soy free and nut free.
Fermented Mustard Green
Ingredients
- 3 bunches whole Chinese Mustard Green also called gai choy
- 3 long fresh red chillies
- 3 tablespoons salt
For the Brine:
- 3 litres filtered water or just enough to immerse all the vegetables
- 6 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
Instructions
- Wash the mustard green thoroughly, dry and cut into 2 to 3 inches length.
- Rub and mix 3 tablespoons of salt or as required into the mustard green, until they are withered and start losing water. Squeeze the remaining water out.
- Heat up 3 litres (12.5 cups US) of filtered water in a pot and bring to a boil, turn off the heat. Briefly blanch all the mustard green in the water, in and out. Add the mustard green and chillies to the airtight glass jar.
- Add the remaining salt and turmeric powder to the boiled water. Let the brine cool and then add enough brine to just covering all the mustard green in the airtight glass jar. Close the lid tightly.
- Leave in a cool shady place in the kitchen overnight. Refrigerate the next day. It should be ready in 3 to 5 days. It will taste salty and slightly sour when ready.
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