Hi Foodies! I am excited to share with you all my mom’s Hmong style pickled greens recipe! Zaub Qaub is the Hmong word for “pickled greens”. Pickled greens is eaten all over Asia and each ethnicity have their own way of pickling their vegetables. Hmong pickled greens is pretty similar to the Chinese style pickled mustard green. But we make it a little differently 🙂 It’s super easy to make and it’s quite tasty as well! It’s sour, crunchy, salty and goes so well with grilled meat. I especially love it with fried chicken and Hmong sausage, along with sticky rice. I would also say Hmong pickled greens is eaten like Koreans eating kimchi. We eat it as a side to most of our dishes. It keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the longer it sits in the fridge. I love it even more with a little bit of fish sauce, ground chili powder, and fresh cilantro! But you can eat it however you like. It is also used as a garnish for most noodle dishes such as the Thai noodle dish Khao Soi.
The pickling or fermentation takes about 4 days or longer or less depending on your area. If you live in a warmer area, it may only take you 3 days to ferment whereas for me, it took 4 days since I live in a much colder area.
It’s great during the summer and great to bring on big family outings such as camping or a picnic (especially if you’re grilling). But give it a try and see if you like it! Enjoy!
Fresh Zaub Hmong from the garden
Feel free to used mustard greens if you don’t have Hmong style zaub! It works just as great 🙂
Cooked rice porridge is the key fermentation ingredient!
Rice is the key ingredient to make the greens sour. Boiling the rice and using the liquid you boiled your rice in makes zaub qaub, ZAUB QAUB! 🙂
Salting the greens to wilt
Make sure to let the greens sit for at least 45 minutes before adding in the rice.
Adding in the rice and massaging until it looks like this!
Message the rice in with the greens until it shrinks like this. We are drawing out the moisture.
Put the greens in an airtight container, submerge the greens completely with the rice liquid. Store and let it sit for 3-4 days in a warm place until it ferments.
A little note: If you have a pickling or fermentation jar that has an air compressor, you don’t need to press the vegetables down after 2 days. We did it because our container didn’t have the air compressor. So… It’s optional!
After 4 days!
Cut and add in fresh cilantro, chili powder, and fish sauce if you like! And enjoy!
In the video, I cut up maybe 1 1/2 cups of the pickled greens and added in 1-2 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp chili pepper, and 1/3 cup cilantro. But add however much you like!
Eat it as a side along with grilled meat and rice. My favorite is with Hmong sausage, fish, or fried chicken! YUM!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Hmong Greens (or Mustard Greens)
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 2 quarts water
- 1/2 cup short grain rice
- 1 Tbsp long grain sticky rice
Instructions
Making the rice porridge
In a pot add in 2 quarts of water and the 1/2 cups of short grain rice and 1 TBSP of long grain sticky rice (helps the liquid become more thick). Let it come to a boil. Boil until the rice becomes soft and the liquid is somewhat thick (about 30+ minutes). Once cooked, drain the rice and keep the liquid!! You will use 1/2 cup of the rice that has been cooked (DON'T USE ALL THE COOKED RICE. You can save it for yourself) Cool the rice and liquid completely. Set aside.
Salting the Greens
Make sure to wash and drain your Hmong greens or Chinese style mustard greens well. Place your greens in a big bowl and add in 2 TBSP of salt. Massage the salt in well with the greens until it is all coated. It may not seem to cover all the greens but it's enough. Cover the greens and let it sit for 45 minutes to an hour until the greens starts to wilt or shrink in size (salt drawing out water from the greens).
-Cindy (CHawjCreations)
Mixing and Storing
Once the greens have shrunk, add in 1/2 cup of the reserved cooked and cooled rice. Mix and massage it well until the greens have become even more wilted but not all the way broken apart. Place the greens in a airtight container. Press it down as much as you can. Add in the cooled rice liquid, covering the top of the greens. Press the greens down if it is not fully submerged. Close, cover with a towel and let it sit in a warm place for 3-4 days (depending on your weather) until it starts to ferment and turn a light green color. If your greens starts to rise up and not be fully submerged in the liquid after 2 days, go ahead and open it and press the greens back down. Cover and let it sit for another 2 days. 4 days TOTAL of fermentation (but it also varies of your area...If it's hot and warm in your area, maybe just 3 days). Taste and then put it in the fridge. Eat and enjoy whenever! Mix with pepper, cilantro, and fish sauce if you like!
Notes
The longer it ferments in the fridge the better it taste! YUM! You can cut the greens into smaller bite size pieces before you ferment it if you want. Adjust the fermentation to your weather. Warmer area may only take 3 days. Colder areas may take up to 4 days or more.
3 comments
Wait, HOW does your dad cultivate such huge greens by the time forsythias and daffodils are in bloom? Are you in the Pacific Northwest where there isn’t really winter? Do you use mini-greenhouses? Please teach me your dad’s power-gardening secrets!
You have to plant at the right time. We usually start planting the seeds around September so by the time December hits, the greens grows big and beautiful. But again, it depends where you live. PNW has lots of rain and some sun so they can slowly thrive and get big. During summer time, you’ll have to water it pretty often vs autumn to winter.
I cannot wait to try this! My mom has yet to find a recipe that works, she says whenever she tries to make it, it never turns out right besides one time. She’s going to bring me some of her greens that she also grows in her garden for me to try to make some for the both of us!
Quick question in regards to your container, about how big is the container and does it fit all 4 pounds of the greens? Thank you! I can’t wait to browse the rest of your website for recipes!