Fermented/Pickled Vietnamese Mustard Greens- Dua Chua Using Gai Chơi

Tart, sharp and a little funky!

+ Jump down for my top 4 tips on making Dua Chua aka Vietnamese fermented mustard greens.

Fermented Asian mustard greens are a must in my house. It’s basically an Asian sauerkraut but it has a nice subtle spicy mustardy/horseradish kick to it.

I’ve tried buying these commercially but they’re softer and very mild and bland in flavor so I always have a fresh batch of these on hand.

After making them so many times with my dad’s method of using rice water to jumpstart and push the fermentation process. Apparently rice water helps activate and push the fermentation process. I chose to skip the rice water all together to see if it would work. I tried multiple batches without the rice water and as expected, it tasted and looked identical to using rice water.

For an extra umami kick, I’ve seen msg used in the last one to two days of fermentation, this is totally optional and not needed but it dies add a little something extra.

For the traditional method in making this with rice water, click the below button:

My tips for fermenting and pickling Vietnamese mustard greens:

1. Buy Gai Choy variety

2. Pick mustard greens with a good amount of stalk to them, they are the crunchier more desired pieces than the leaves. Pick hardy stoff bunches not wilted, yellowed, or ones with spotted leaves.

3. I like adding a little vinegar to boost the tang factor to aid the fermentation process because the dominant lactic bacteria in this ferment are very acid-loving so a little added acid helps it ferment easier. It’s also helpful in preventing unwanted contamination in your ferment so that’s a plus too.

4. I found a 3% brine is perfect for these mustard greens.

5. Drying and wilting of the greens will make your dưa chua more crunchy. By removing any excess water from the greens it will later absorb the salted brine and will yield a nicer crunch.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Large heads of Gai Choy mustard greens

2 scallion bunches (optional)

2 garlic cloves (optional)

2 tbs Himalayan sea salt

2 cups filtered water

PREPARATION

1. Wash mustard greens in cool water, drain, and pat dry and leave out at room temperature on a wash cloth to wilt overnight.

2. Cut mustard greens in half lengthwise and break into 2-3” pieces and throw into a large bowl.

3. Add 2 tbs sea salt into the bowl and lightly toss mustard greens with your hands. Then add 2 cups of water and gently mix until dissolved. Let mustard greens camp out undisturbed for 15 min. Then lightly toss again and leave alone for 5 min.

4. Add optional sliced scallions, garlic and toss mixture again with hands, and firmly press down on the mustard greens a few times.

5. Place vegetables into a sterilized air tight jar, and pack down greens tight into the jar, top off with the brine from the bowl and leave at least 1” headspace in jar (do not fill to top or it will overflow and cover with lid. Make sure all vegetables are submerged in the brine solution (if it doesn’t add a little of your leftover rice water).

6. If you have any fermented mustard greens from a previous batch, add a few tbs of that starter liquid into the jar to help jump start the fermentation.

7. Leave out for 5-14 days. I like to taste it every 3 days. It shouldn’t taste salty after it’s fermented so you’re going for a sharp, tart, and tangy flavor.