Mustard greens are the highlight of my garden right now.  I planted ‘Japanese Giant Red’ and ‘Southern Curled’ varieties this year.

Cooked mustard greens are a southern staple.  But have you ever eaten them raw?  I see raw kale and collard recipes everywhere now, but I never see recipes for raw mustard greens.  I guess it isn’t trendy… yet.

The big sturdy leaves are more tender than kale.  It is mustard, so it does have a bite, with an astringency similar to arugula.  I like to balance it with mellow flavors, and sesame and miso do the trick very well.

I love this salad bowl.  Thank you, Jane.

Sesame Mustard Green Salad

Ingredients:

• 8 cups thinly sliced mustard greens (large stems removed)
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 carrots, grated or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

For the dressing:

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon agave or honey
• 1-3 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
• 2 teaspoons miso paste
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium-low until they become golden.  Remove to a plate and allow to cool.

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, starting with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari and gradually increasing it to taste.  (Different brands of miso paste vary greatly in sodium.  The amount of soy sauce or tamari you’ll need will depend on the saltiness of the miso.  I use a low sodium white miso and 2 1/2 teaspoons of tamari.)

Toss the mustard greens with chickpeas, carrots, green onions.  Add the dressing and sesame seeds just before serving.

You May Also Like

Spicy Mango Jicama Slaw Collard Cobb Salad Cool Beans Salad