I have been cooking mustard greens(tsunga) the way my mother taught me. That is, boil it until all the color is gone and the green looks more grey. I know I am not the only one. Good thing is I have found a way to cook mustard greens and they still maintain their colour and retain most of the nutrients. There is no guarantee though that my mother would want to try these by just looking at them because she is so used to mustard greens loosing their colour. I definitely know that my grandmother would not even dare try.
To prepare the vegetables, wash and remove the stems. Cut the leaves into ribbons as narrow as you want them to be. I am probably the only Zimbabwean who thinks the width of the ribbons does not really matter. Or maybe I am just lazy. Blanch the cut greens in hot water for about 4 minutes.
Drain the hot water and chock them in icy water. This will help the mustards remain green.
Meanwhile smash two garlic cloves and fry them on low in pan with vegetable oil. Allow the infusion to go on for about 15 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon.
Remove the mustard greens from the icy water and wring the excess water with a paper towel. Add the greens to the garlic infused oil, season with salt and pepper. Saute for two minutes and serve while warm.
I decided to use the the browned garlic as a garnish as an afterthought. Next time I will slice the garlic before frying it.
Sauteed Mustard Greens
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 bunches mustard greens stemmed and chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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In a large pan with straight sides on medium heat add the oil. Add the garlic to the hot oil. Saute until garlic is softened and fragrant and has infused the oil.
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Add the mustard greens. Season the greens with salt, and pepper, and saute while tossing to wilt. Once wilted add the chicken stock and stir. Raise heat to a simmer, then lower and cook for about 5 minutes more.
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Stir in the ground mustard. Serve warm.