Spicy Sour Mustard Greens

Spicy sour mustard greens otherwise known as chai boey is a sour vegetable stew. This is a hearty dish with intense flavour and spicy and sour undertone. It's sour because of the tamarind skins and spicy as dried chilies are also added in the stew. This recipe is also the best way to use up leftover meat in your refrigerator. It has all the exotic tastes to accommodate every taste bud. So Enjoy!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kg mustard greens (or more, rinsed and cut into sections)
• 500 grams meat (roasted meat & bones, or any amount, cut into chunks)
• 5 dried chillies
• 5 tamarind slices (or more if your prefer it more sour)
• 1 tbsp white peppercorns (crushed)
• 1 bunga kantan (torch ginger flower)
• 1 bunch vietnamese coriander (daun kesum)
• 3 lemongrass (bruised)
• 8 cups water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 tsp chicken stock granules (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Have ready all ingredients.
2. 2First, rinse well the fresh mustard green vegetables and then cut into large pieces, about 2 inches piece.
3. 3Add the cut mustard greens in a pot or wok of boiling salted water. You may need to push them down in the wok to make room. Briefly blanch for about 3 minutes. Drained and set aside.
4. 4Crushed some fresh white peppercorn in a mortar. This will help to better release the flavour.
5. 5For the torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), use only the buds and not the stalk. Gently remove the petals of the torch ginger buds.
6. 6Soaked and deseed dried chillies before use.
7. 7Briefly wash the tamarind slices.
8. 8Cut tomatoes into wedges.
9. 9Bruise the upper bulb of lemongrass by smashing it with the side of a wide knife. This will help release some of the aromatic oils. And we're ready to cook the dish.
10. 10First, put the meat and bones into a large stock pot.
11. 11Add in the dried chillies and crushed lemongrass.
12. 12Then pour in water.
13. 13Bring the stock to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
14. 14Then add in the cut tomatoes, vietnamese coriander leaves, torch ginger flower buds and crushed white peppercorns.
15. 15Next, add in soy sauce.
16. 16Followed by oyster sauce.
17. 17And chicken stock granules. Stir to mix everything together.
18. 18Add in the blanched mustard greens. The vegetables may seem a lot but they will cook down.
19. 19Over low heat, allow to simmer for another 30 minutes, until the meats and bones have released their flavours and the mustard greens are very tender (more yellow in colour). And we're done!
20. 20Taste to see if it's spicy, sour and salty enough. If it lacks any of these flavours, add more chillies, tamarind slices or soy sauce accordingly.
21. 21This dish is great on its own and even better eaten with steamed rice. As always, ENJOY!