Are all vegetables equal?
As I drove toward town through a verdant valley, the radio aired misery, confusion, accounts of hypocrisy, preachers, bad rock and roll and more preachers, so I turned it off and wondered, “Are all vegetables equal?”
First of all, vegetables would not ask that question. Japanese Giant Red Mustard, for example, might have a cluster of magnificent maroon-purple leaves two feet long towering over nearby lettuces, marigolds and bush beans, but they all contribute. Everyone in the neighborhood sings, “Here Comes the Sun” together. No evaluation, no Top 10, just growing the best they can in the soil and weather they’re in.
Red mustard might have originated in the Himalaya region of China at least 5000 years ago. Apparently, somebody took some eastward to Japan where it naturalized in the soil and climate there, and the variety we know today is called Japanese, but is grown in gardens all around the world. It is easy to grow and nutritious, so it is no surprise the land of Sadaharu Oh would adopt it.
Red mustard shares with its brassica relatives a long list of nutritional benefits. According to the Specialty Produce website, the leaves are “packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and protective antioxidants including glucosinolates and polyphenols, yet because of their slimming calorie count, mustard greens nutrition-to-calorie ratio makes them one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.”
Plus, a regular heaping dose of the leaves might reduce loss of mental acuity.
Red mustard greens have more Vitamin A than Swiss chard or bell peppers, and, as you know, vitamin A boosts overall immune system response and contributes to prevention of age-related vision decline. The vitamin K in red mustard aids in production of proteins which facilitate blood clotting and bone production and contributes to reducing the risk of cancers in the stomach and colon… and don’t forget how the leaves add a red-purplish sparkle to a garden bed.
Also, it is easy to grow. Red mustard prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soil, but it will tolerate most loose, well-drained soils. It doesn’t ask for much. It grows best in cooler temperatures but can tolerate hot weather without bolting, shady conditions and still produce healthy leaves, and even light frosts though it will not abide a hard freeze.
Plantings in spring or late summer work best. Cover the tiny round seeds with a quarter-inch of loose soil and a gardener can expect to harvest the first leaves in about a month after planting. Young leaves have a mild tangy taste that gets stronger toward a horseradish taste as they mature. Red mustard grows faster and tastes spicier than the Southern mustard greens your grandmother grew up with.
Eventually, plants will bolt, or send up a strong central stalk onto which the flowers sprout. Pinch off the buds or flowers for a spicy snack as you make your morning inspection of the garden. If a gardener lets a plant mature all the way to seed production, it will self-sow prodigiously. I have had patches of red mustard suddenly appear in pathways and in the soil from the leaf mulch pile. Seedlings that sprout in inopportune places can handle careful transplanting which allows the artist/gardener to add spots of color in all the right places.
The piquant leaves add a refreshing tang to salads. More mature leaves have a stronger taste, but the sharpness moderates when added to stir fries or casseroles. From mature seed pods you can extract seeds which can be used with dill and garlic in pickle recipes. Some folks even pickle the mature leaves, but I don’t. I just eat them.
All of this with nutritious proclivity and casual humility from the majestic wrinkly purple-red leaves.