Autumn’s Delight: Nutritious Malabar Spinach Soup
The Quintessential Autumn Delicacy You’ll Want to Keep to Yourself: ‘Rich Malabar Spinach Soup’ Recipe
This Malabar spinach soup, a true autumn delicacy, is even more delicious thanks to the abundant nutrients packed within the spinach. Malabar spinach is brimming with beneficial components for our health: 1. Its high potassium content helps excrete sodium from blood vessels, making it excellent for preventing high blood pressure. 2. Thanks to calcium, it aids in preventing osteoporosis. 3. Rich in Vitamin A, it’s beneficial for eye health. 4. Abundant beta-carotene provides antioxidant properties, helping to combat aging. 5. It also has diuretic effects, beneficial for reducing swelling in postpartum mothers. 6. Its rich dietary fiber is effective for preventing constipation and aids in weight management. Enjoy this nourishing and flavorful Malabar spinach soup!
Main Ingredients
- 1 bundle Malabar spinach (approx. 100g)
- 5 dried anchovies
- 1 liter water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare one bundle of fresh Malabar spinach. Wash it thoroughly, focusing on the tender leaves and stems. Place the spinach and 1 tablespoon of salt for soup in a bowl. Knead the spinach vigorously with your hands until it becomes soft. This process helps remove any grassy flavor and the slimy texture, resulting in a cleaner tasting soup.
Step 2
Continue kneading the spinach until the foamy, sticky liquid stops coming out. Then, trim away any tough stem parts.
Step 3
Rinse the prepared spinach a couple of times under cold water and gently squeeze out excess water. Squeezing out as much water as possible will prevent the soup from becoming too diluted.
Step 4
Make a rich anchovy broth. In a pot, combine 1 liter of water and 5 dried anchovies. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for about 15 minutes to extract a deep flavor. Tip: Be careful not to boil the anchovy broth for too long, as it can develop a bitter taste.
Step 5
Once the broth is boiling, add 1.5 tablespoons of fermented soybean paste (Doenjang). You can sift it through a fine-mesh sieve into the broth or dissolve it directly. Stir well to ensure the paste is fully incorporated without lumps.
Step 6
Add the prepared Malabar spinach to the broth with dissolved paste and let it simmer together.
Step 7
Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic to enhance the soup’s aroma and flavor. Tip: If you have dried shrimp, adding about 1 tablespoon at this stage will greatly enrich the soup’s taste, complementing the spinach beautifully.
Step 8
As the soup comes to a boil again, add 2 thinly sliced red chilies for a touch of spiciness. (You can also use Korean green chilies for more heat.)
Step 9
Finally, add 1/2 tablespoon of red chili powder for a vibrant color and a subtle spicy kick to the broth.
Step 10
When serving, arrange the Malabar spinach (the solids) attractively in the bowl first, then ladle the flavorful broth over it. This makes for a more visually appealing presentation.
Step 11
And there you have it – the deeply flavorful and nutritious Malabar spinach soup, an autumn favorite rumored to be so good you’d want to keep it all to yourself! Enjoy it with a warm bowl of rice.
Step 12
Thanks to the Malabar spinach grown in my own garden, I was able to fully savor the delicious taste of autumn.
