How to Cook Amaranth Soup
Amaranth Soup is a traditional dish with blood-enhancing and cooling effects. It pairs perfectly with salted eggplant and crispy caramelized pork, making it an ideal meal accompaniment.
Ingredients
- 1 mixed bunch of amaranth (~250g, includes various types such as grain amaranth, red amaranth...)
- 1 shallot
- Rock salt
- Cooking oil
- Seasonings: Fish sauce, salt, MSG, stock powder
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
Select the tender stems and young, healthy leaves of the amaranth, discarding any wilted or damaged ones.
Let it drain, then chop the amaranth into small pieces or cut it into segments about the length of a finger joint.Peel the shallot, then finely chop or slice it thinly.
Cooking Amaranth Soup
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil in a pot. Once the oil is hot, sauté the chopped shallot until fragrant. Then, add the amaranth and stir-fry briefly. Season with a little salt and MSG to enhance the flavor.
Stir-fry the amaranth for about 1 minute, then add water to cook the soup. Adjust the water amount based on the number of servings, for example, 1.5 liters of water for 3-4 servings.
If you prefer not to stir-fry the amaranth, you can add water directly after sautéing the shallot. Bring the water to a boil, then add the amaranth. However, after trying both methods, we found that stir-frying the amaranth makes the soup more flavorful and aromatic.
Increase the heat to bring the soup to a rapid boil. Once boiling, adjust the seasoning by adding stock powder, salt, and fish sauce. Use a ladle to skim off any foam to keep the soup clear. Cook for another minute or so until the amaranth is tender, then turn off the heat and ladle the soup into a serving bowl.
In addition to the method described above, you can also skip the step of sautéing the onion, simply boiling water and adding the amaranth directly. However, this will result in a blander taste and a lack of cohesiveness in the flavors.
Amaranth soup is sweet, light, and aromatic thanks to the sautéed onions and lightly stir-fried vegetables. This dish is not only delicious but also offers numerous health benefits. It's quick, easy to make, and highly nutritious, so don't miss the chance to prepare this soup for your family to enjoy.
