Stir-Fried Mustard Greens
清炒芥菜 · pan chinese cuisine
This recipe comes from a home cook who made it while staying home with family during the pandemic. Vegetable dishes like this one were popular on the holiday table: the method is simple, the ingredients are few, and the greens have a distinctive mustardy sharpness.
Ingrid HalvorsenNorwegian exchange student missing home cooking. I post about brunost, lefse, and stretching a grocery budget in a tiny dorm kitchen. Simple food, big comfort.Nutrition & allergens
No supported allergens detected from surveyed ingredients.
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
1.0 bunch
Techniques you'll use
- Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
Bloom ginger, garlic, and chili in hot oil to build the aroma base.
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
Steps
- 1
Step 120 min
Soak the mustard greens in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes, then wash and drain well. Cut the stalks and leaves into sections and set them aside separately.
✅ Done when: The greens are clean and drained, with stalks and leaves cut and kept in separate piles.
- 2
Step 2
Smash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife, then mince them. If you like heat, mince a little fresh chili as well.
✅ Done when: The garlic is smashed and finely minced, ready to go into the pan.
- 3
Step 3
Add a bit of lard to the wok for cooking this dish; it keeps the greens silky and tender.
✅ Done when: The lard is in the wok and beginning to melt.
Once the fat is hot, add the minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
✅ Done when: The garlic is aromatic and just turning golden, without browning.
Add the mustard green stalks and stir-fry until they change color.
✅ Done when: The stalks turn brighter, more translucent green.
Add the mustard green leaves, season with salt and sugar to taste, and stir-fry quickly until the leaves wilt. Turn off the heat and plate the dish.
✅ Done when: The leaves are softened and wilted but still bright green.
- 7
Step 7
Serve: the finished greens are crisp, tender, and refreshing.
✅ Done when: The plated greens look crisp and vibrant, tender to the bite.
- 8
Step 8
Enjoy.
✅ Done when: The dish is served and ready to eat.