Stir fried pickled mustard greens with tofu

I first tried stir fried pickled mustard greens with tofu in Phuket after randomly pointing to a few items on a vegan buffet so large that my decision making gears nearly broke (and they barely function to begin with). I recognised the flavour of pickled mustard greens and excitedly asked for the name of the dish so I could get a better idea of its other ingredients, and that's the really boring story of how I came to know pak kad dong pad tao hoo.

Boring, however, does not describe the pickles. Their salty sour crunch can enhance soups, curries, salads, and stir fries. Pak kad dong taohoo is another great way to use the pickles and is simple to make and a great complement to a balanced Thai spread with steamed rice.

Pickled mustard greens are very easy to find, at least in London, in East and Southeast Asian supermarkets. There are several brands around, many of which are Thai.

This stir fry is designed to be eaten as part of a larger spread along with jasmine rice. Add a curry or soup and it'll be a complete meal.

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Pickled mustard greens and tofu stir fry (Pak gad dong pad tao hoo ผักกาดดองผัดเต้าหู้)

Packets of pickled mustard greens are easily found unrefrigerated in East Asian markets, or you can make your own. To crumble tofu, find a firm-ish hunk and press much of the moisture out in a tea towel (it doesn't matter if the tofu falls apart since you're crumbling it) and then tear and crumble it with your hands. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and one or two other Thai dishes, like nam phrik ong and a curry. Recipe serves two as part of a larger Thai meal.

Servings 2 servings, with rice and curry

Ingredients

• 120 grams pickled mustard greens rinsed (about 1 cup sliced)
• Approximately ½ cup firm crumbled tofu
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

Instructions

• Wash, drain, and thinly slice the pickled mustard greens.
• Heat your wok to medium high and add the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and cook for about 10 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Tip in the pickle and tofu and stir fry until there's a little bit of colour on the tofu.
• Add the soy sauce and sugar and cook for one more minute.