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Mustard Greens Stir-fry

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side dishes•chinese•contains shellfish, dairy-free, pescatarian
20 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 1 pound mustard greens – trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces; stems and leaves separated
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar (2.1g)
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp ginger – finely minced
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Mustard Greens Stir-fry

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Wash the mustard greens thoroughly, then trim tough ends; separate stems from leaves and cut everything into bite-size pieces.

  2. 2.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch until smooth; set the sauce aside.

  3. 3.

    Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot, 1–2 minutes.

  4. 4.

    Add the peanut oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, 15–30 seconds, without browning.

  5. 5.

    Add the stems and stir-fry until bright green and just beginning to turn tender, 2–3 minutes.

  6. 6.

    Add the leaves and toss constantly until just wilted, 1–2 minutes.

  7. 7.

    Splash in the Shaoxing wine around the sides of the wok to deglaze; let it sizzle for 10–15 seconds.

  8. 8.

    Stir the sauce to recombine and pour it in; stir-fry until the liquid thickens to a glossy coating and the greens are crisp-tender, 30–60 seconds.

  9. 9.

    Remove from the heat, drizzle with the toasted sesame oil, and toss to coat.

  10. 10.

    Transfer to a warm plate and serve immediately.

Mustard Greens Stir-fry is a quick, high-heat preparation that turns peppery, slightly bitter greens into a glossy, savory side. The greens are cooked just until crisp-tender, with aromatics like garlic and ginger lending warmth and fragrance. A light, silky sauce accentuates the greens’ bite without masking it, balancing saltiness and a hint of sweetness.

In Chinese home cooking, stir-fried leafy greens are a daily staple, and mustard greens (gai choy) are common across southern regions and Taiwan. The technique of searing in a hot wok, adding a splash of rice wine, and lightly glazing with a cornstarch-bound sauce is classic. While mustard greens are also enjoyed pickled or stewed, this quick stir-fry showcases their fresh, robust character and the efficiency of Cantonese and Fujianese wok cooking traditions.