Kiam Chai Recipe

Kiam Chai / Hum Choy (Homemade Pickled Mustard Greens)
(recipe source: adapted from My Little Space and flavours lifestyle magazine, with minor changes)


Ingredients
2kg mustard greens (kai choy) 芥菜, rinsed & drained

145g coarse salt


Brining solution
3-4 litres water, or enough to cover
4tbsp salt
40g ginger, sliced
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1tbsp rice flour, mixed with 4tbsp water


Equipment- ceramic crock and heavy object (example plate), or glass jar with lid and a plastic sheet & rubber band


Method


1. Cut large heads of mustard greens into half, rub salt in between the leaves and stem then set aside for about 6 hours to draw out the moisture and wilt the greens.
2. Bring water to boil together with all other brining ingredients. Then set aside to cool before used.
3. Squeeze moisture from the mustard greens and then pack them into jar.
4. Pour cooled brining solution into the jar to keep those mustard greens covered.
5. Cover the top with plastic sheet & tide it up with rubber band, then cover by lid and set aside to in a cool place to ferment for 5-7 days.
6. Check on the greens every day and skim off the whitish bloom that appears on the surface of the brining solution.
7. Remove the mustard green after the 7th day without squeezing out any liquid, discard brining solution.
8. Wrap the mustard greens in cling film and store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 months.