After trying out lacto-fermentation (sourdough starter, fermented cucumber pickles and sauerkraut), I decided to try out something closer to home: fermented mustard green.
In chinese, we call it ‘salted vegetables’ and have it in stir fries and salted vegetable soup.
I had tried it few years ago in Glasgow but it took way too long with a rice brine in the middle of winter (room temperature 17C). It had a fermented taste but it wasn’t sour enough after 2 weeks.
Oddly, fermentation is so much faster here with a warm sunny climate of 30 degrees room temperature.
Fermented Mustard Green Recipe
Ingredients
Mustard Green
Drinking water
Salt
Sichuan peppercorn (optional)
Ginger (optional)
Method
1.Weigh mustard green and take note of it. Wash mustard green
2. Air dry/ Sun dry it for 1/2 to 1 day until it wilt.
3. Use 2% weight of mustard green for salt amount.
4. Rub 2% of salt to mustard green and leave aside for a few hours.
5. Add ginger and sichuan peppercorn to base of jar.
6. Stuff salted mustard green into jar or container.
7. Mix 3% salt to water for brine. e.g. 3g salt to 100ml water.
8. Pour salt water brine into container.
9. Check it everyday
Mine took about 3 and a half days to be really sour and salty. Store it in the fridge after that.
I put a piece into piglet’s mouth and he said…
Authentic!
Looks like I won’t be buying anymore salted vegetable in the future.
Edited on 28/10/2020
Sour Mustard Green (酸菜) vs Salty Mustard Green (咸菜)
The recipe above produces sour vegetables (lacto-fermented). The brine and vegetable contains probiotics can be drank raw. It is not as salty as the commercial ones and does not last long in room temperature. It needs to be kept in the fridge.
If you would like to make salted vegetables like the ones sold, increase the salt content (to taste) so it is as salty as sea water and salt itself will inhibit the lacto-fermentation process. It results in salty and not sour flavour. It might need to be soaked or rinsed before cooking to rinse away the saltiness. It takes about 3 days to be ready and can be kept at room temperature up to 2 weeks.