Friday, August 17, 2012

EZ Mok Choy Soup with Wolfberries


Another easy and simple soup to prepare  with seasonal leafy vegetables.  With this soup, you can skip frying another vegetable dish.  I don't know what's the actual name of this vegetable.  When I asked the vegetable seller in the market, she told me it is call ed 'mer cai' which is suitable for soup or stir fry.  The vegetable is quite crunchy and does not have a raw or bitter taste.  I think this is a seasonal type of vegetable and it's alright to try it out.  This soup base can be used to cook any leafy greens of your choice.
'Mer Cai of Mok Choy' for soup or simple stir fry
Can anyone let me know the English name of this vegetable?
Ingredients
[serves 2-3]
300 gm 'mer cai or mok choy' - see photo of vegetable
1 tsp each of chopped garlic and shallots
30 gm silver baits, fried until crispy [can replaced with dried anchovies]
1 tbsp wolfberry [kei chee]
700 ml water or stock
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and chicken stock granules
1/2 tbsp oil 
  1. Heat oil to fry silver bait until fragrant and crispy.  Remove.  Keep about 1/2 tbsp oil to saute chopped garlic and shallots until fragrant.  Pour in water/stock and bring to boil for several minutes.
  2. Add in seasoning to taste [can prepare soup base until this step, bring to boil again before serving time].
  3. Add in vegetables and cook for about 3 minutes.    Add in wolfberry.
  4. Sprinkle fried silver bait on top before serving soup hot.
Notes:
I went to see the vegetable seller again on the correct name of this vegetable.  This time the lady's husband told me it is called 'Mok Choy' in Cantonese and is from Air Itam Hill, Penang.  This vegetable is free of pesticides.



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4 comments:

  1. I have seen this vege before but dare not buy because I wasn't sure how it would taste. Don't know the name also but will sure buy the next time I see it for soup.

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  2. Hi Phong Hong, I was told this vegetable can be home grown too. I like trying seasonal vegetables. Give it a try, no venture no gain, hehehe.

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  3. Thanks for yet another wonderful submission to The Soup Kitchen.

    This one sounds super healthy.

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  4. Hi Debs, I agree most vegetable soups should be healthier provided the stock used is not too oily or contains saturated fats.

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