4 people · Difficult · 60 min · ₭ Cheap

You can find Som Phak Kard (pickled mustard greens Lao style) at every corner in Laos, but they are all different. This authentic recipe is as delicious as the ones you can find in the market.

Ingredients

• 1 Kg of mustard-greens-vegetable
• ½ small bowl of fresh garlic, roughly pounded
• 3 tablespoons of kosher salt, use for kneading
• 3 tablespoons of cooked sticky rice, rinse through the water 2 times and drain it
• 1 teaspoon of MSG
• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, for seasoning
• 1.5 L of water, for kneading
• 1.5 L of water, for refilling

Preparation

1. Cut the mustard greens into bite size pieces, wash and drain them well. let them dry on a basket in a room or put them under the sun until they become soft so they will not break when you will mash them.

2. When the mustard greens are ready, put them into a large bowl, add water and salt. Mash them strongly and make sure the salty water goes to every single part of the vegetables. Keep mashing until you see the stem of the vegetable become clear and soft.

3. Remove all the water and refill with new water above the vegetable's level.

4. Add garlic, salt, MSG, sticky rice and combine them well together. The taste should be balanced. If it's too salty it is going to take time to become sour. If not enough salty, it is going to rot.

5. Transfer everything to a container, press it down then cover well. Wait for 1 or 2 days before eating.

Tip: before serving you can add more salt or MSG as you like. Also add sliced coriander, fresh chili, ginger or round eggplants. Eat with grilled fish to make a perfect meal.