Braised Mustard Greens with Roast Pork, Garlic and Fermented Black Beans

Why people make this dish

When winter arrives in Hong Kong, large-leafed mustard greens appear at the markets and Cantonese home cooks know exactly what to do with them. Nourilo picked up a head of the dense, round-hearted variety (quite heavy — a good head can weigh over a kilogram), stopped at the roast meat shop for some roast pork belly, and came home to make this deeply savoury braise. The fermented black beans and garlic infuse the braising liquid, the roast pork belly renders down into the cabbage, and the whole dish comes together in about 15 minutes of actual cooking. It is the sort of dish that makes you eat more rice.

Method

1. Wash the mustard greens thoroughly and cut into large chunks.
2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and fermented black beans; stir-fry until fragrant.
3. Add the roast pork belly pieces and stir-fry briefly until slightly browned and fragrant.
4. Add the mustard greens and toss everything together in the wok.
5. Season with light soy sauce and any preferred seasonings.
6. Add a small splash of water, cover, and braise over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the greens are tender and have absorbed the flavours.
7. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Nourilo’s Tips

Mustard greens have a long history as a versatile vegetable — the same species yields many familiar preserved ingredients, from zha cai (Sichuan pickled mustard tuber) to snow vegetables (xue cai) to sour preserved mustard (xian suan cai). The large, dense, heart-forming variety used here is particularly thick and heavy — a good head is quite substantial. Mustard greens are warming in nature, so those who tend toward internal heat or have active heat-pattern conditions should eat this dish in moderation. Pregnant women may eat mustard greens, but those with a yin-deficient, fire-prone constitution should be cautious.