CHINESE MUSTARD GREENS STIR-FRIED
Mustard greens come in a plethora of types. This dish calls for Chinese mustard greens, known as xuelihong in Chinese. When fresh xuelihong was available at our local Chinese grocery, we preferred to eat it pickled. Chances are you’ve seen it in a can or a vacuum-packed bag.
NOTES FROM THE COOKBOOK
A few tidbits about this dish:
Cooking leafy greens can take a lot of oil, so keep that in mind. Make no mistake: The amount of oil I used for this recipe is not nearly enough if you’re going for a restaurant-quality finish.
Sugar is an essential component as well. I don’t usually add sugar while stir-frying leafy greens, but the mustard greens, which are a bit more bitter than broccoli rabe, benefit from the sweetness.
Organic chicken bouillon, a substitute for the MSG restaurants, is another ingredient that may cause concern. Even though bouillon isn’t an essential ingredient, half a teaspoon can go a long way and encourage your picky eaters to eat more greens!
Here’s one final piece of advice: Leafy greens must be cooked in accordance with a set of guidelines. Never open and close the lid when cooking more than once. Doing this will make the greens turn yellow, not verdant!
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tbsp. of oil
- 4 cloves of garlic (smashed and chopped)
- A small handful of dried red chili peppers (de-seeded and cut)
- 1¼ lb. of mustard greens (cut into 1 cm long pieces)
- 1½ tsp. of sugar
- 1 tsp. of sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp. of organic chicken bouillon
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add the oil to a wok and bring it to a boil. After about a minute or so of cooking, add the garlic and chili peppers, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Then, add the mustard greens and raise the heat to its maximum. Add the salt, sugar, and sesame oil (and organic chicken bouillon if used). Mix everything up thoroughly.
- Allow it to cook for 45 to 60 seconds with the lid on. Once the greens have been uncovered and stirred, remove the cover. Plate and serve as soon as possible!!!