Garlic and Fermented Black Bean Braised Mustard Greens with Pork Ribs

Why people make this dish

Most vegetables in Chinese food therapy are classified as cooling — but mustard greens are a notable exception. Warm in nature, they are associated with warming the middle (digestive system), supporting lung function, dissolving cold phlegm and reducing the uncomfortable chest tightness that cold-type congestion can bring. When mustard greens are in season, Nourilo recommends this pungent, satisfying braised dish with garlic, fermented black beans and pork ribs. It is bold and savoury — exactly the kind of food that feels right when the weather is cold or when someone is dealing with a cold-type cough with lots of white phlegm.