Water spinach soup is definitely a very familiar dish in family meals. Today, TasteVN will take you into the kitchen to reveal 2 recipes for making soup with refreshing and simple water spinach right at home!
1. Sour shrimp water spinach soup
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Sour shrimp water spinach soup For 4 people
Water spinach 500 gr Fresh shrimp 200 gr Tamarind 50 gr Basil leaves 50 gr Garlic 4 cloves Salt 2 teaspoons Seasoning powder 1/2 teaspoon Rock sugar 1.5 tablespoons Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Water 1.5 liters
How to choose fresh and delicious shrimp
- Choose shrimp with shiny shells, firm bodies, hard heads tightly attached to the shrimp body, legs firmly attached to the body, and firm flesh.
- Avoid buying slimy shrimp or shrimp with legs that have turned black, as these are signs that they are no longer fresh.
- Do not buy shrimp with spread-out, loose tails, missing tail fins, and not neatly arranged together, as this indicates that the shrimp may have been caught a long time ago and soaked in preservatives.
See more: How to choose fresh shrimp and how to store fresh shrimp in the refrigerator for a long time
How to make Sour Shrimp Water Spinach Soup
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Prepare the ingredients
Pick the stems and young leaves of the water spinach, discarding the older leaves. Soak the water spinach in diluted saltwater for about 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water and drain. Do the same with the basil leaves, removing any damaged leaves, and rinse them clean with water.
For the shrimp, cut off the antennae and spines on the head, remove the shrimp’s digestive tract, and rinse again with clean water.
Put the tamarind in a bowl, pour a little hot water over it, and soak for about 10 minutes to soften, then use a spoon to mash the tamarind to extract the juice. Crush the garlic, peel it, and slice it thinly.
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Cooking soup
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. When the oil starts to heat up, add sliced garlic to the pan, sauté until fragrant over medium heat, then remove to a bowl and turn off the heat.
Use a large pot placed on the stove. Pour about 1.5 liters of water into the pot, adjusting to medium heat. Then add about 2 tablespoons of tamarind juice, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1.5 tablespoons of rock sugar, stirring well until the sugar dissolves.
When the water starts to boil, add the shrimp and the bowl of sautéed garlic to the pot. When the shrimp starts to cook and turns light pink, add the water spinach and cook for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Finally, add a little basil to the pot, stirring gently to enhance the aroma of the soup.
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Final product
The soup has a sour and moderately sweet taste. Although the soup is simple, it pairs perfectly with hot rice.
2. Dried shrimp water spinach soup
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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Shrimp and Water Spinach Soup For 2 people
Water spinach 500 gr Dried shrimp 30 gr Shallot 1 bulb Seasoning A little (salt/ monosodium glutamate/ seasoning powder) Fish sauce 1 teaspoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons
How to choose good dried shrimp
- Good dried shrimp usually have a natural bright red color (the color of crab roe), which is the type of shrimp that has been sun-dried raw. Dried shrimp that are light red or dark red are shrimp that have been stored for a long time and cooked before drying, or shrimp that have been dyed.
- Good shrimp, when held in hand, should feel firm, dense, and not have any strange strong smell, clean shells, legs, and gills. They should feel dry to the touch, but still maintain a sweet taste when eaten. The shape of the shrimp should be uniform, with a hard, plump, and firm body. When squeezed, the shrimp should not break apart or feel soft.
- Shrimp made from sea shrimp may still have a gritty texture and a very characteristic fishy smell. Dried shrimp made from freshwater shrimp is often sweeter than sea shrimp. Freshwater shrimp are generally smaller and rounder than sea shrimp. Another way to distinguish them is that sea shrimp usually have a stronger fishy smell than freshwater shrimp.
See more: How to make traditional dried shrimp and make dried shrimp in the microwave extremely simple
How to Make Water Spinach Soup with Dried Shrimp
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Preparing Ingredients
Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for about 5 – 7 minutes until the shrimp is soft and expanded, then remove and drain.
Peel the shallots and slice them thinly. Then, put the dried shrimp and half of the sliced shallots into a mortar and pound the ingredients until finely crushed.
Pick out any wilted or wormy leaves from the water spinach. Soak the water spinach in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water and drain. Do the same with the basil leaves, discarding any wormy leaves, then rinse clean with water.
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Cooking the Soup
Place a pot on the stove and add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil starts to heat up, add the remaining half of the shallots and sauté until fragrant over medium heat. Next, add the crushed dried shrimp and stir well.
Pour 1 liter of water into the pot, lower the heat, and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes to extract the sweetness from the dried shrimp. Then, increase the heat to medium, add the water spinach to the pot, season with 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, stir well to ensure the vegetables are evenly cooked and absorb the flavors, then turn off the heat.
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Final product
Water spinach is crispy, the soup is sweet and light, seasoned just right. When served with hot rice, it enhances the meal’s flavor.
How to choose good water spinach
- Choose water spinach with small stems, small leaves, and bright green color, avoiding wilted, yellow, or spotted leaves.
- Avoid selecting water spinach with unusually large stems, overly vibrant green, shiny leaves, and brittle stems when bent, as these are often the result of excessive fertilizers or nutrients.
See more details: Water spinach – classification, effects, notes, and how to choose good and safe water spinach
See more:
Above is 2 ways to cook water spinach soup with shrimp extremely delicious and attractive. What are you waiting for to make this dish for the whole family, wish you success!
*Refer to images and recipes from 2 YouTube channels: Cười Khúc Khích and BINGO FOOD CHANNEL
