How to Make Vietnamese Braised Pork with Pickled Mustard Greens
In addition to braised pork belly and pepper pork, braised pork with pickled mustard greens is another flavorful dish made from pork that pairs wonderfully with rice. It's a must-try for your daily meal rotation.
Ingredients
- 550g pork (pork belly or shoulder)
- 350g pickled mustard greens
- 3 shallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-3 sprigs green onions
- 1-2 chilies, optional
- Salt
- Seasonings: fish sauce, seasoning powder, monosodium glutamate, caramelized sugar, oyster sauce
Ingredient Notes
For a delicious braised pork with pickled mustard greens, select pork belly or shoulder cuts. These parts have a balance of lean meat and fat, which gives a rich, non-dry texture when braised.
Besides pork, you can also use beef to braise with pickled mustard greens, which is equally delicious.
Choose mustard greens that are perfectly fermented—not too fresh, as they can be bitter and astringent, and not overly fermented, as they can be too sour or even slightly off. It's best to taste them first to adjust the sourness and saltiness.
If the pickled mustard greens are too sour or salty, rinse them and season with a pinch of MSG to balance the flavors.
You can also make your own pickled mustard greens at home. Check out the recipe here.
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
Rinse the pork in diluted salt water, then rinse it again and let it drain. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Typically, Cookbeo cuts them into finger-sized strips about the width of a finger joint.
After cutting the pork, marinate it with seasonings to enhance the flavor. For 550g of pork, marinate with:
- 1 teaspoon seasoning powder
- 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon caramelized sugar
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
You can either leave the pickled mustard greens whole or cut them into smaller pieces as desired for braising. If the pickling brine isn't too sour, you can use 1-2 tablespoons of it for added flavor while braising.
Crush and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Smash the chili, if using, and cut into pieces.
Cut the green onions into 2-3 cm pieces.
Cook the Braised Pork with Pickled Mustard Greens
Add some oil to the pan and heat it up.
Sear the pork until it browns and the edges are slightly crispy, then add the minced shallots and garlic, stirring to release their aroma.
Next, add the pickled mustard greens. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, then add some of the pickling brine and enough water to cover the pork.
When the liquid comes to a boil, skim off any foam, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let it braise. If you're using chili, add it at this stage.
Besides braising pork belly, you can also use roasted pork to braise with pickled mustard greens for a delicious variation.
After 20 minutes, adjust the seasoning to taste, adding salt, oyster sauce, and, if the greens are too sour, a pinch of sugar or more caramelized sugar.
Continue braising for another 10-15 minutes. If you prefer more sauce, you can stop cooking after 5-10 minutes. If you prefer a thicker, more reduced sauce, cook a little longer over high heat.
