Red Spinach Soup
A nutritious and delicious soup that is easy to cook is none other than mom's favourite spinach simmered in anchovy broth. In Hakka, it's pronounced as "han choy soon" or "hyin choy tong" in Cantonese or "heng chai turng" in Hokkien.
Firstly, wash and drain Asian spinach leaves. The stalk must be skinned so that it would not be too tough and fibrous.
If making the anchovy stock the old fashioned way from scratch, wash dried anchovy (jiang yu in Chinese or ikan bilis in Malay), add to a pot of water and bring to the boil. Filter in through a fine sieve and use only the clear stock for making soup. You may add more water to the residue and boil a second round of stock.
Dried anchovy powder in muslim sachets are available in Korean or Japanese supermarkets. They are a better alternative to processed ikan bilis granules which are more likely to contain artificial flavouring, colours, MSG and preservatives.
Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Sesame oil is optional. Serve while the soup is warm.
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