Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 300 g mustard greens, washed, stems separated and chopped, leaves torn
- 45 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 g kosher salt
- 5 ml mustard oil, raw, unrefined
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 231 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 615 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 48 mg
- Potassium
- 602 mg
- Calcium
- 187 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 50 mg
- Phosphorus
- 100 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 380 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 107 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 389 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 19 mcg
- Water
- 143 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Remove the thick stems from the mustard greens. Roughly chop the stems into small pieces and tear the leafy parts into large, bite-sized sections. Leave the water clinging to the leaves from washing.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the unsalted butter and allow it to melt and gently foam. Add the sliced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Add the chopped stems to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the wet leaves and the kosher salt. Toss vigorously using tongs. The water on the leaves will emulsify with the butter to swiftly steam and blanch the greens.
Continue to cook the greens for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing constantly until they are completely wilted, tender, and the liquid has mostly evaporated to leave a rich, glossy butter glaze.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Drizzle the raw mustard oil over the greens and toss once more to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Washing the greens right before cooking ensures just enough water clings to the leaves to create a steamy, buttery emulsion, effectively blanching them in the fat without needing extra liquids.
- Mustard oil provides a sharp, horseradish-like kick. Use cold-pressed, unrefined mustard oil (kachchi ghani) for the most authentic flavor. Adding it off the heat preserves its volatile, sinus-clearing aromatics.
- Mustard greens reduce drastically in volume. Do not worry if they overcrowd the pan initially; they will quickly shrink to about one-fifth of their raw size.
- The rich dairy fat of the butter perfectly counteracts the intense pepperiness of the greens, smoothing out the aggressive edges of the mustard oil finish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Best eaten fresh as greens will lose their vibrant color and texture upon reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat just until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Greens are overly bitter and unpalatable
Cause: Mature greens can be inherently very bitter, or the dish lacks sufficient fat to coat the palate
Fix: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a tiny pinch of sugar to balance the bitterness, though this exceeds the five ingredient limit
Prevention: Choose young, tender mustard greens when possible, and ensure the butter forms a proper emulsion
Greens are swimming in a watery pool instead of a butter glaze
Cause: Too much water was left on the leaves, or the pan temperature was too low
Fix: Use tongs to remove the greens, then boil the liquid in the pan rapidly for 1 minute until reduced before returning the greens
Prevention: Shake off excess water slightly if soaking wet, and ensure the pan remains at a steady medium heat
Cultural Context
Mustard greens, known as sarson, and mustard oil are a classic pairing in North Indian and Bengali cuisines, celebrated for their warming and pungent qualities. This recipe introduces a Western technique of butter-glazing to temper the inherent bitterness of the greens, while finishing with traditional raw mustard oil to preserve its cultural signature.
