← Nouns Cooking · Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1 kg Asian mustard greens (gai choy)
• 1 Onion, thinly sliced (or 2 shallots)
• 1.5 l Water
• 3 tbsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp White vinegar (optional)
• 4 Bird's eye chilli (optional)

Method

1. Cut the mustard greens into 4–5 cm pieces, wash them well and spread out on a tray to wilt for 1 hour, or longer in the sun. Limp leaves pack better and stay crunchy.
2. Bring the water to the boil with the salt and sugar, stir until dissolved, then leave until just warm to the touch. Add the vinegar if using: it gives the pickle a head start.
3. Pack the greens, onion and chillies tightly into clean jars and pour over the warm brine to cover completely. Weigh them down with a small plate or a zip bag of water so nothing floats.
4. Close loosely and leave at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, until the greens turn yellow-green and taste pleasantly sour. Then refrigerate.
5. Serve as a side with braised pork or fish, or stir-fry with beef. It keeps in the fridge for about a month.

Tips

• If a white film forms on top, skim it off; anything fuzzy, pink or bad-smelling means the batch should be thrown away.
• Warm brine speeds up fermentation; boiling-hot brine cooks the greens and makes them soft.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Hungry Huy Vicky Pham