Mustard greens or mustard greens are vegetable varieties resulting from crosses between the same family as spinach, collard greens, and kale. Because the texture is quite soft and crumbly, does cooking green mustard become difficult? Luckily not! Try reading this article to find various easy, fast, and delicious tips for processing mustard greens without losing the nutritional content in it. In general, all you need to do is wash the mustard greens, remove the tough stems, and then slow-simmer them, steaming or sautéing them until they are soft and delicious to eat.
Ingredients
Cooking Mustard Greens with the Slow-Simmer Method
- 1-2 bunches of mustard greens
- 1 liter chicken stock or vegetable stock
- Salt, pepper, or other seasoning to taste
- 75 grams of sauteed onions (optional)
- 75 grams pork belly, diced (optional)
Steaming Mustard Greens
- 1-2 bunches of mustard greens
- Water
- Salt, pepper, or other seasoning to taste
- Sesame oil (optional)
- tsp. vinegar (optional)
Sauteed Mustard Greens
- 1-2 bunches of mustard greens
- 2 tbsp. cooking oil
- Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, or chili powder to taste
- minced 1-2 cloves of red onion, minced 1 clove of garlic, or sliced of a bell pepper (optional, for added flavor and aroma to the dish)
Step
Method 1 of 3: Cooking Mustard Greens the Slow-Simmer Method
Step 1. Heat 950 ml of chicken stock or vegetable stock
Pour the stock into a saucepan, then heat it over the stove over high heat until it almost boils. Then, reduce the heat and continue the process of heating the broth over low heat. While waiting for the broth to boil, you can start preparing the other necessary ingredients.
- Add 75 grams of sauteed onions or diced pork belly into the broth to enrich the taste.
- For a more traditional style of mustard greens, you can also make a broth from whole pork thighs or legs simmered in 2.5-3 liters of water for 2-5 hours.
Step 2. Rinse the mustard greens under cold running water
Hold 1-2 bunches of mustard greens under the tap, then run them with water to remove dust and dirt adhering to the surface. Since mustard greens grow from the ground, each strand must be thoroughly cleaned before processing and eating. After cleaning, shake the mustard greens to drain any excess liquid, then pat lightly with a paper towel until the mustard is completely dry.
- If you want to cook more collards at the same time, it's a good idea to place them in a basket with holes and clean them all at once to speed up the process.
- Two bunches of mustard greens can usually be eaten by 2-4 people, depending on how hungry you are.
Step 3. Cut and discard the mustard stalks
Place the cleaned mustard greens on a cutting board, and use a sharp knife to cut the stems that hold all the mustard leaves together. If you want, you can also pull the mustard directly from the stem. Remember, the texture of the mustard stems tends to be hard so it is not delicious to eat.
- Make sure the dark, workable parts of the mustard are not wasted!
- Once the stems are removed, all the leaves should separate and be about the same size as romaine or pakcoy lettuce.
Step 4. Add the mustard greens to the hot broth
If necessary, push the mustard greens to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon so that the entire portion is well submerged. If the contents of the pot look like they are about to overflow, add a handful of mustard greens first. Once the mustard has wilted, you can start adding the measure.
Stir in the mustard greens in quick motions so you don't burn your hands from splattering the very hot broth
Step 5. Boil the mustard greens for 45-60 minutes
Mustard greens are young and have soft stems, generally only need to be boiled for 45 minutes. However, collards that are older and have a harder texture will usually need to be simmered for up to 1 hour to get really soft.
- Stir the mustard periodically so that the texture does not clump or stick together.
- Mustard greens look wilted and shrivel when cooked? Don't worry, this condition is completely normal. Since mustard greens have a tendency to wilt and shrivel when cooked, make sure you use more raw mustard than you intend to eat when cooked.
Step 6. Drain the broth and serve the mustard greens hot
After the broth is drained, immediately transfer the cooked mustard greens to a serving plate. For a more traditional dish, you can serve the mustard greens with a little broth, also known as "pot liquor."
- Remember, the temperature of the pan will be very hot after sitting on the stove for a long time. That's why, you have to hold it with a special potholder or tongs to keep the skin from burning!
- Store leftover mustard greens in a plastic bag or airtight container, then refrigerate. The mustard greens should stay fresh within 4-5 days.
Method 2 of 3: Enjoy Steamed Green Mustard
Step 1. Rinse and dry the mustard greens
Run 1-2 bunches of mustard greens with cold tap water to remove adhering dirt. While washing, rub each part of the mustard with your fingers to wash off any stubborn dust or dirt. Once completely clean, shake the mustard greens to remove any excess liquid, then gently pat with a paper towel until the mustard is completely dry.
- Discard any leaves that look wilted or are no longer fresh in color.
- Generally, an individual serving portion is to 1 bunch mustard greens.
Step 2. Remove the thick and hard mustard stalks
Cut the thick mustard stalks so that each mustard strand separates from the stem. After that, remove the mustard stems because unlike broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, these parts are generally not edible.
If you want, you can also first cut or tear the mustard leaves to make them easier to eat before steaming
Step 3. Pour water until it covers the bottom 2 cm of the pot or pan which is deep enough
Then, bring the water to a boil on the stove over medium to high heat. Once the water boils, the pot or pan is ready to steam the mustard greens!
- If you have a saucepan that comes with a steamer, simply pour some water into the bottom of the pot, then add the steamer, and arrange the mustard greens on top.
- Try adding tsp. vinegar into the water so that the mustard taste tastes more savory when cooked.
Step 4. Put the mustard greens into the pot or steamer, then close the lid tightly
Add a handful of mustard greens to keep the pot or steamer from getting too full. After a few seconds have passed and the mustard has started to wilt, add a measure of the mustard greens. Then, cover the pot and steam the entire portion of the mustard greens until they are fully cooked.
Make sure the pot or steamer is completely closed so that the steam that builds up doesn't escape
Step 5. Steam the mustard greens for 4-6 minutes
The mustard greens can be left to cook or stir periodically so they don't stick together or even stick to the bottom of the pan. Don't worry, you'll know when the texture starts to wilt.
- The dark green mustards may need to steam for 10 minutes, depending on how firm they are when raw and what level of doneness you want them to be.
- Wait until the steamed mustard is cooked to season it.
Step 6. Drain the excess liquid before serving the mustard greens
Open the lid of the pot and tilt it over the sink to drain the excess liquid. After that, press the surface of the mustard greens with the back of a spoon or spatula to dry the moisture inside. Then, place the mustard greens on a serving plate, and season with a little sesame oil, salt, pepper, or garlic powder to taste.
- If using a steamer basket, remove the basket using special heat-resistant tongs or a thick towel to avoid hurting your hands from the extreme heat.
- Store leftover mustard greens in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you want, you can also store it in a plastic clip bag and freeze it in the freezer until it's time to use it again. The freshness of frozen mustard greens can last for 8-12 months, or even more!
Method 3 of 3: Sauté the Mustard Greens to Maximize the Taste
Step 1. Rinse and dry the mustard greens
Grip 1-2 bunches of collard greens under running tap water, or place them in a slotted basket to clean them more efficiently. Once all the dirt is gone, gently shake the mustard greens or pat the surface with a paper towel to drain any excess water.
- Generally, 1-2 bunches of mustard greens can make 2-4 servings of stir-fried mustard greens.
- Make sure the mustard greens have been dried before frying. Only in this way will the mustard greens be exactly to your liking, and the hot oil won't be splattered in all directions when the mustard comes in contact with the hot oil.
Step 2. Remove the thick, tough stems of the mustard greens
Before processing, make sure all the thick-textured mustard stems have been removed. In fact, the texture of the part will not soften, no matter how long you stir fry it.
Step 3. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a frying pan
Turn the stove on to medium to high heat, then pour in the oil in a circular motion to make sure the entire bottom of the pan is well coated. Once the oil looks hot and shiny, add the mustard greens to it.
- In fact, you can use any oil to fry the mustard greens. For example, coconut oil, avocado oil, and extra virgin olive oil are variants that are very popular with chefs, because they contain healthy fats and provide a softer taste in dishes.
- To make the taste and aroma stronger, you may first saute the chopped 1-2 cloves of red onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, or sliced of bell pepper before adding the mustard greens.
Step 4. Add the mustard greens to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes
Supposedly, the mustard greens will ripen immediately after coming into contact with hot oil. Saute the mustard greens, stirring constantly to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed.
- If you want, you can also add 240 ml of chicken stock or vegetable stock when the cabbage starts to wilt. Use this method to make sure the mustard greens are really soft and taste better.
- Do not cover the pan to allow the steam that has formed to escape.
Step 5. Season the mustard greens with salt, pepper, and various other spices to taste
If you want to enrich the taste of the mustard greens, add a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper to the stir-fried mustard greens, or sprinkle a little cayenne/chili powder to make the mustard spicier. After that, add a little fresh lemon juice for a slightly sour taste, then serve and enjoy the mustard greens right away!
- Stir-fried mustard greens are delicious eaten directly or served with a variety of side dishes, such as pasta, pork, or fresh fish.
- If you don't eat the mustard greens right away, store the leftovers in the refrigerator and use them within 4-5 days.
Tips
- If you have limited time or are having trouble accessing the stove, try cooking raw collard greens in the microwave. First, first pour about 30 ml of water into the bowl with the mustard greens, then heat the bowl in the microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, or until the mustard greens are completely wilted.
- The mustard greens are delicious paired with salty meats, such as marinated pork, bacon, prosciutto and smoked turkey.
