Hot And Sour Greens Recipes

CHINESE PICKLED MUSTARD GREENS (HAAM CHOY)

Steps:

• Trim the tough base off of the mustard greens, along with any yellow or brown portions of the leaves. To remove any dirt or sand, soak them in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes. Shake the vegetables to loosen the grit. Lift the vegetables out of the dirty water and rinse. Rinse the bowl, fill with fresh water, and repeat this process two more times. This cleaning step is very important.
• In a large pot, add 10 cups (2.4 liters) of water, bring to a boil, and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons (26g) of salt, until dissolved.
• Place the mustard greens into the simmering water 1 or 2 at a time, so they're completely submerged. Blanch for 30 seconds, rotating them to evenly heat them on all sides. Lift the mustard greens out of the water and transfer to a clean sheet pan to cool.
• Next, put the sliced ginger into the blanching water and bring the water back to a simmer. Once simmering, turn off the heat, and allow the liquid to cool to room temperature.
• Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, pour off any excess water from your sheet pan and rub salt (2 ¼ teaspoons/13g per pound of mustard greens) all over the greens, getting into the inner stems and rubbing the salt evenly across each stem/leaf until it has dissolved.
• Place into a non-reactive bowl-stainless steel, enamel, ceramic, or glass work-and pour the ginger-infused blanching liquid over the vegetables. Place a large plate on top of the vegetables with a heavy pot (or a pot filled with water) on top to press them down and keep them submerged. Allow the greens to sit in the salted water for 24 hours at room temperature, covered with a clean towel or paper.
• Disinfect the jar by first washing it thoroughly. Wash your hands, and rinse the jar with boiling water. With clean hands or tongs, lift the mustard greens out of the brine solution and let any excess liquid drain for a few seconds.
• Squeeze the vegetables tightly. This removes spaces where air bubbles can form, and also makes them more compact. Place them into the jar along with the ginger slices. Do your best to squeeze the vegetables into the jar and distribute the ginger evenly. Reserve the brine, as you will be adding it to the jar momentarily.
• Measure 1 teaspoon (6g) salt and ¾ teaspoon (3g) sugar per pound of greens, and sprinkle on top of the vegetables in the jar. Measure out 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white vinegar per pound of vegetables, and pour it over the salt and sugar in the jar.
• Next, use a clean ladle to carefully transfer the brine into the jar until it is almost full. Check for air pockets that may be trapped near the bottom of the jar. Use a chopstick to move the mustard greens around to release any air bubbles. You can also cap the jar and move it around to coax air bubbles up to the top. Once you feel all air bubbles have been eliminated, fill the jar to the top to ensure that all of the greens are completely submerged in liquid.
• Take a 10- to 12-inch square piece of plastic wrap and fold it in half twice to make a neat smaller square. Place it over the jar, making sure there are no air bubbles under the plastic wrap. Screw the top on over the plastic wrap to create an airtight fit.
• Use a clean kitchen cloth to wipe any liquid from the jar and place a label on it with the date. Place the jar in a cool dark place for about 2 days, or until the mustard greens have turned from a bright green to a dull green.
• After the mustard greens turn a dull green (2 days), put them in the back of the refrigerator, and they should be ready to eat in 7 days.

SWEET AND TANGY SAUTEED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in collard greens, in batches if necessary, until they wilt slightly and all fit in the skillet. Pour in water and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and tender, 5 to 7 minutes, regulating heat to prevent burning. Drain.
• Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, honey, ginger and butter together in a serving bowl for dressing. Add greens to bowl and toss with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve warm.

SWEET AND SOUR GREENS

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Transfer bacon pieces into a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan.
• Stir water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper into the bacon drippings until the sugar has dissolved; bring the mixture to a boil. Place collards into the boiling mixture, and stir to mix well. Cover the Dutch oven, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the greens are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Drizzle in a little more water or vinegar if greens become too dry.
• Spoon greens into a serving dish, and sprinkle with the cooked bacon pieces.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Put the wood ears in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse the wood ears; discard any hard clusters in the centers.
• Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and pork; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, pour it into the wok and toss everything together - it should smell really fragrant. Pour in the Chinese Chicken Stock, bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Mix the slurry into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream and watch it spin around and feather in the broth (it should be cooked almost immediately.) Garnish the hot and sour soup with chopped green onions and cilantro before serving.
• Put the chicken in a large stockpot and place over medium heat. Toss in the green onions, garlic, ginger, onion, and peppercorns. Pour about 3 quarts of cold water into the pot to cover the chicken by 1-inch. Simmer gently for 1 hour, uncovered, skimming off the foam on the surface periodically.
• Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and pass the stock through a strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove the solids and excess fat. Cool the chicken stock to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, or chill it down over ice first.
• Yield: About 2 quarts

HOT AND SOUR SALMON WITH GREENS

Steps:

• Trim the tough outer leaves from the bok choy and discard. Rinse the stalks and leaves and drain. Cut the stalks in half lengthwise. Cut the halves diagonally into 2-inch sections. In a bowl, toss the scallions and ginger with the bok choy sections. Arrange on a heatproof platter.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the salmon steaks on top of the greens. Pour several inches of water into a roasting pan and heat until boiling. Carefully place the platter of salmon and vegetables above the water, on a rack or steamer tray. Cover the top of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Steam 7 to 9 minutes, or until the fish is cooked. Note: If you have a bamboo steamer you may prefer to use that, instead of the roasting pan with water.
• In a separate bowl, mix the soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sugar, and garlic. Serve the salmon from the heatproof platter or arrange the steamed vegetables and salmon on serving plates. Spoon some of the dressing on top and serve with steamed rice.

SWEET AND SOUR GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until well-browned. Add onion and cook until translucent. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes more.
• Pour vinegar and 3/4 cup of the reserved green bean liquid into the pan. Add sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and stir in the green beans. Continue cooking at a low simmer until beans are hot.

HOMEMADE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan. Add mushrooms, chicken, soy sauce, chile paste, and garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add tofu, bamboo shoots, vinegar, and white pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes more.
• Combine water and cornstarch in a cup; stir until smooth. Add mixture to the soup and stir well. Let simmer until soup thickens, about 5 minutes more.
• Beat egg in a cup and slowly pour, in a fine stream, into the soup. Stir well and heat through for 30 seconds. Mix in green onions and sesame oil. Remove from heat; serve hot.

CHEF JOHN'S HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water, stirring occasionally, until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and slice into thin strips.
• Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, ground white pepper, and sesame oil together in a small bowl for hot and sour mixture; set aside until needed.
• Whisk cornstarch and water together in another small bowl for slurry; set aside until needed.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger, sliced green onions, and shiitake mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring up to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in carrot, red pepper, bamboo shoots, tofu, and the hot and sour mixture. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir the soup slowly with a spoon while transferring in the beaten eggs in a steady stream to create thin ribbons. Keep stirring until the soup comes back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium.
• Stir the cornstarch slurry to make sure it's well blended, then slowly drizzle it into the soup while stirring constantly. Soup should thicken up within 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat, taste for seasoning, and serve.

HOT AND SOUR GREENS

Steps:

• Wash and dry greens.
• Remove any tough stems.
• Slice stems used into 1/4 inch pieces and leaves into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and pepper flakes. Stir-fry 1 minute.
• Add greens along with mustard. Stir to combine.
• Mix vinegar, soy, and sugar together and add to skillet. Toss.
• Cover skillet and cook for five more minutes.