Since we haven't eaten yet (no pictures) and I have some time to post, I have a easy recipe for you today. It's called canh rau muong, which is a simple spinach soup. Vietnamese people eat family style, with anywhere from 2-5 dishes each night (sometimes even more!). Usually there is some sort of protein, some vegetable, and a soup like this one. These soups are a bit different than American soups - they usually just consist of broth, vegetable, and shrimp, and they are spooned over rice.
Shrimp sauce is a common ingredient in Vietnamese cooking, and it is very, very stinky. Vietnamese people are weird like that - we eat foods that smell a little funky (but taste good). Shrimp sauce, nuoc mam, durian (which have been compared to sweaty gym socks - in some parts of the world, they are outlawed!) But fear not, you only use a tiny amount to give some flavor to the broth and no stinkiness remains.
Although it is a little dreary in Columbus today, I still love the fact that it is fall. Lemme tell ya, I have been waiting since spring to wear boots and scarves without feeling silly. And this soup is perfect to have now that the weather is getting cooler too. Mmmm. Nice and warm in your belly. You're picturing it and now you want some, right?
Canh Rau Muong (spinach soup)Serves 4
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Ingredients
5 ounces spinach (about half a bag)
1/4 shrimp peeled, deveined, cut in half lengthwise (reserve the shells)
1/2 teaspoon nuoc mam
3/4 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1 scallion, whites only, cut lengthwise into very thin strips
1 teaspoon oil (olive or canola)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon shrimp paste
Directions
1. Marinate the shrimp by combining the nuoc mam, sugar, scallions, and freshly ground black pepper. Marinate for 10-15 minutes.
2. On medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the shrimp and shrimp shells. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until they just turn pink. Remove both shrimp and shells. Place shrimp shells in a fine sieve.
3. Place the pot back on the heat and add 4 cups of water. Place the sieve on the pot so that the shells are submerged in the water. Add the shrimp paste and stir well. Bring to a boil, skimming any scum that floats to the top. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove the shrimp shells.
4. Add the spinach to the broth and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add ground pepper and salt to taste. Add the previously cooked shrimp and cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Eat this as is, or eat it spooned over a small scoop of rice for a more complete meal.
Now I'm going to go clean the kitchen a bit so it doesn't become a disaster later. Talk to you soon!
xoxo <3
Nhu-Y
