Pickled Mustard Greens (酸菜) - Oh My Food Recipes

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Fermented or pickled mustard greens is a classic Chinese sauerkraut. This pickled mustard greens recipe is a simple and easy way to make delicious homemade suan cai or syun coi (酸菜), pickled mustard greens. Also, it is great for stir fry like pickled mustard greens stir fry. Besides, it is a little different from pickled snow cabbage, Chinese pickled cucumber and salted duck eggs. Let's learn how to make Chinese pickled mustard greens with step by step photos and a video!

Love authentic Chinese food? Check out these sticky rice dumpling, congee, garlic chives & eggs, hairy gourd vermicelli, beef chow fun, pork knuckles ginger stew, salt & pepper squid, char siu and crab stir fry recipes.

three suan cai or Chinese pickled mustard greens on a white chopping board

What are pickled mustard greens?

Pickled mustard greens are also called suan cai (酸菜) in mandarin or syun coi in Cantonese. It is a type of preserved vegetable commonly used in Chinese cuisine and other Asian cuisines. Often, people call it Chinese sauerkraut. Suan cai or syun coi (酸菜) literally translate as sour vegetable. Cantonese people often call it syun choi (sour vegetable) or haam choy (salty vegetable).

Usually we use gai choi (芥菜), mustard greens, to pickled or fermented them for a period of time like other pickled vegetables or salted eggs. Some people like pickling the leaves of the mustard plant in a brine solution with other seasonings like chili peppers, ginger, garlic or various spices. Different regions and areas of people have various ways to pickle mustard greens. This pickled mustard green recipe has a distinctive savory and sour flavor which is a little different than pickled snow cabbage.

What is gai choi (芥菜)?

Gai choi or gai cai (芥菜) is a Chinese mustard greens. It is a brassica juncea species of mustard plant.

Fermented Chinese mustard greens in other cuisines:

Fermented Chinese mustard greens, also known as suan cai in Mandarin or syun coi in Cantonese. It is a versatile ingredient and other countries or cuisines use it as well.

In Thai and Vietnam cuisine, they use and add pickled mustard greens into soup with fish or shrimp.The sourness of the mustard greens adds a tangy contrast to the heat of other spices.

The fermented Chinese mustard greens contribute a sour and umami flavor. Therefore, people often use it as a condiment, a side dish or an ingredient in soups and stews like suan cai fish is one of Chinese popular dishes.

What does fermented mustard greens taste like?

Suan cai or syun coi (酸菜) have a unique and distinct taste resulting from the pickling or fermentation process. The primary taste of pickled mustard greens is sour from the fermentation process which produces lactic acid. This sourness is usually the most prominent flavor. It can range from mild to quite tangy, depending on the duration of the fermentation or recipe.

Also, they have a salty taste because salt is used in the pickling process. However, in some recipes, especially in Sichuan cuisine. They like to add ingredients like chili peppers, ginger or garlic which impart a mild spiciness or heat to the pickled mustard greens.

Why homemade Chinese pickled mustard greens?

This suan cai recipe is a very simple and easy homemade version that doesn't require drying gai choy (芥菜) under the sun. I really like this pickled mustard greens recipe because the Chinese sauerkraut or syun coi (酸菜) is not that sour like a store bought one. But, you can smell the sourness. The most important thing is the taste of my family's authentic homemade Hakka suan cai that I missed so much!

What are the ingredients for Chinese fermented mustard greens?

In this pickled mustard greens recipe, the ingredients are kosher salt, gai choi (芥菜) and washed rice water.

How to select mustard greens for pickling?

Selecting the right mustard greens for pickling is an important step because it can ensure the quality and flavor of your pickled mustard greens.

Always, look for mustard greens that are fresh, crisp and free from signs of wilting, yellowing or discoloration. Also, using young gai choi for pickling is better because they are more tender and have a milder flavor.

Older gai choi (芥菜), leaves are tougher and may require longer soaking or cooking to soften. Besides, to inspect the stems. Pick the tender stems and not fibrous ones. Tender stems are more pleasant to eat after pickling.

How long does the pickling process take?

The length of the pickling process for mustard greens can vary depending on the recipe. This pickled mustard green recipe is a traditional way, the process takes a total 21 days or 3 weeks.

This method involves creating a brine solution to promote natural fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. The longer you let the mustard greens ferment, the tangier and more complex the flavor will become.

Can pickled mustard green be eaten raw?

Yes, but in general pickled mustard greens are typically not eaten raw as a standalone food due to their strong salty and sour flavor. They are often used as a condiment, side dish or ingredient in dishes where their bold flavor complements other ingredients.

If you want to consume pickled mustard greens in a milder form, you can rinse them or soak them in water for a period of time to reduce their saltiness and strong flavor.

Why do you add rice water as the pickling liquid?

Adding rice water (rice washing or rice rinse water) when pickling mustard greens is a traditional technique from my family. Also, it acts as a fermentation starter because it contains naturally occurring yeast and beneficial bacteria that can kickstart the fermentation process. This helps ensure a successful fermentation and the development of the desired flavors and textures in the pickled greens.

Besides, the natural fermentation of rice water results in the production of lactic acid. Lactic acid is one of the key agents responsible for creating the sour flavor in pickled vegetables. The addition of rice water helps create the desired level of acidity in the pickling solution.

In addition, the use of rice water can contribute to a more complex flavor. It can introduce subtle earthy and starchy notes which can balance and complement the sourness of the fermentation.

From my experiences, adding rice water when pickling mustard greens has a mild sour taste compared to those who do not use it. Remember to use boiled cool off water to wash the rice. When using clean and uncontaminated rice water, it can avoid unwanted bacterial growth.

How to make washed rice water?

Just use cold boiled water to wash the rice by rubbing it to make milky colored water. You can use regular white rice like jasmine rice. Or, you can use glutinous rice.

milky color washed rice water in a silver bowl

How to use pickled mustard greens?

People use suan cai to cook fish. Some like to use it for stir fry or stir fry with meat. Or, people use it as a side dish for noodles. Taiwanese beef noodles is one of the famous noodles that is always served with suan cai.

How long can I store suan cai or syun coi (酸菜)?

After 21 days or 3 weeks, when the suan choi is ready for eating. You can squeeze the excess liquid and put it in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Or you can cut them up, stir fry and freeze them for months for soup or noodles.

Cooking tips for how to make Chinese pickled mustard greens:

Wash and soak gai choi very well to remove sand and dirt.
Boil a pot of water, wait until it’s boiling. Then, add washed gai choi and make sure all the leaves are soaked in boiling water. Don’t need to completely cook. Just soak in boiling water for a few seconds. The purpose of this is to kill bacterias and sterilize the vegetables because I washed the vegetables and did not put them under the sun.
This method has to use washed rice water.
The water has to be boiled before. I boiled the water and let it cool down. Then, use it to wash the rice. Try to rub the rice and get the water to look like milky color.
Rub some salt on every leaf.
After, put the vegetable into a clean and sterile jar. Add, fill up the washed rice water and make sure the vegetables are covered by the liquid.
If the vegetable keeps floating up, put a small cup or sauce dish on the vegetable and put down to close the jar.
Let it ferment for 21 days or 3 weeks and put them in a shade area.

FAQs:

How to clean or sterile the jar?

Normally, I put them in a dishwasher to clean and heat dry it. If you hand wash the jar and air dry it, you can put the glass jar in a microwave for 1 minute. Be careful it’s hot when you touch the jar.

What can I do if the leaves are still floating on top of the washed rice water?

You can put a small cup or a sauce dish to put down the leaves then close the lid.

Instructions for how to make Chinese pickled mustard greens:

Making rice water:

1. First, put 3 cups of rice in a bowl and pour 9 cups of cold boiled water to wash the rice. Try to rub the rice and make milky colored water. Only need the washed rice water later.

gai choy or mustard greens is boiling in a pot of water

Boiling gai choi:

2. Wash and soak 1.5 pounds of gai choi very well to remove sand and dirt. Boil a pot of water, wait until it’s boiling. Then, add washed gai choi and make sure all the leaves are soaked in boiling water. Don’t need to completely cook. Just soak in boiling water for a few seconds. The purpose of this is to kill bacterias and sterilize the vegetables because I washed the vegetables and did not put them under the sun.

boiled gai choi or mustard greens in a bowl

3. After that, put the boiled gai choy in a bowl to drain excess water.

Rubbing salt:

4. Next, rub ½ cup of kosher salt on boiled gai choy. This step is very important to rub salt on every leaf.

fill up with washed rice water in a jar with salted gai choi

Brine:

5. Next, put the salted gai choi into a glass container. Then, pour washed rice water and fill it up. Make sure the liquid covers all the vegetables. If the vegetable keeps floating up, put a small cup or sauce dish on the vegetable and put down to close the jar. Let it ferment for 21 days or 3 weeks. Put them in a shade area.

Enjoy this simple and easy homemade Chinese pickled mustard greens recipe! Also, check out these mouth watering chicken, Chinese bacon cabbage stir fry, mapo tofu, gai lan, hairy gourd vermicelli, steamed pork patty, beef with bitter melon and tomato & egg recipes.