Spinach Soup with Century & Salted Egg
Tender spinach in a garlicky anchovy broth with nuggets of century egg and salted egg: the 15-minute soup on every family table.
← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 8 cloves Garlic, peeled, left whole
- 20 g dried anchovies, rinsed
- 1 l water (or light chicken stock)
- 2 Century eggs (pidan, preserved duck eggs), peeled and cut into small wedges
- 1 Salted duck eggs, cooked, peeled and diced (optional)
- 400 g Chinese spinach (amaranth) or spinach, washed well, cut into lengths
- 1 tbsp Dried goji berries (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ tsp White pepper
Method
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium-low heat and fry the whole garlic cloves for 3–4 min, turning, until golden.
- Add the anchovies and fry for 1 min, then pour in the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 min to make a quick stock.
- Add the century egg and salted egg and simmer for 2 min; the yolk will cloud the broth slightly.
- Add the spinach stems first, then the leaves and goji berries, and cook for 2–3 min until just wilted and bright. Season with salt and white pepper and serve hot.
Tips
- Wash the spinach in several changes of water; grit hides in the stems.
- For a vegetarian bowl, skip the anchovies and use vegetable stock with a few dried shiitake.
Sources
Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:
Open Spinach Soup with Century & Salted Egg in Nouns Cooking