Yibin Yacai (Suimiyacai, Sichuan Preserved Mustard Green), Set of 2

  Made from the stem of a kind of mustard plant that grows in Sichuan, Yibin Suimiyacai is dried, flavored and fermented in a multistep process that ends in a one-of-a-kind taste—not too salty, sweet or spicy, just savory veggie essence. Yacai is used frequently as a cooking ingredient in Sichuan dishes. Do not confuse it with zhacai, the other well-known preserved mustard from Sichuan that is both cooking ingredient and condiment. They are quite different in taste and texture.  Yibin is the Sichuan city where yacai is made, and the "suimi" prefix for this type means "broken rice," or that it has been minced rather than left as long stems.   Yacai is a must-have ingredient for dry-fried green beans, dan dan noodles, Ants Climbing a Tree, and several other dishes, and is lovely mixed into stir-fried vegetables. The Suimiyacai brand from the company of the same name is the original, and its imitators are decidedly inferior (though they may try to fool you with copycat packaging). This is