Mustard greens add crunch, punch to dishes

Gai choy is the Chinese name for mustard greens, that leafy, all-green cabbage with irregular shaped leaves that are thin and textured. The midribs are the star of this vegetable, crunchy and slightly bitter.

In the Chinese kitchen, mustard greens are usually pickled to preserve them and remove the bitterness, just as Germans make sauerkraut with cabbage.

Chinese pickled mustard greens make for that delicious combination of sweet-sour cabbage with beef found in many local Chinese restaurants.

The fact that this is a bitter green suggests that it might be therapeutic, and indeed, it is considered good for you when you are ailing. Sliced and added to soups, it can help alleviate the symptoms of colds and flus.

Gai choy is often used to garnish a bowl of saimin; its distinctive flavor is a nice accent in clear broths.

It will also marry well with pungent and bold seasonings like garlic and fermented black beans.

Look for crisp, pale green leaves. The freshest mustard greens are locally grown.

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Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.