Salted mustard greens

Leaves of the mustard plant: peppery, a little bitter, and softened by long cooking.

What to do with it

Classics built on it

TeochewTeochew porridgeRice cooked in plenty of water only until the grains are soft but whole, eaten with a spread of small salty dishes.No one here has made it yet

Kinds

Sarson: The Punjabi mustard leaf, for sarson da saag.
Gai choy: Broad-stemmed Chinese mustard, often pickled — yacai and suan cai.
Red or frilly mustard: Young leaves for salads.

Knowing it

Where to buy: South Asian and Chinese grocers in winter.
A little history: Sarson da saag with makki di roti, maize flatbread, is the Punjabi winter meal.
Worth knowing: Cook it long with some spinach, mash it, and bind with a spoonful of maize flour, as they do in Punjab.

Kitchens that keep it in

Chaoshan, the far east of Guangdong, southern ChinaTeochewThe cooking of Chaozhou and Shantou on the coast of eastern Guangdong: seafood, clear broths and slow master-stock braises, each dish with its own little dip.7 classics