This is a combination dish that I am thankful to my grandma for her delicious, braised vegetables that we have it only in Chinese New Year way back in Malaysia. Then thankful to my mother for her simple spinach eggy soup.

I couldn’t sleep craving for sai choy, got up soak the shiitake dried mushrooms and dried black fungus. Telling myself will cook it once it’s day light. Got up at 5 am start cooking rice and getting the vegetables ingredients ready. Then looking out seeing it’s raining, and it will be a cold day. The first thing came to mind is soup to keep me warm. Also, thinking I will have food for next two days, no need to cook.

Went to market to get spinach and eggs and come home start cooking. Then my three good friends call say let go for lunch. I said no it’s pouring heavy rain, come over instead and bring dessert. My lunch with friends are hearty, warm, and simple delicious. Serve with Prosecco. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients

Spinach eggy soup

2 bunches spinach, stems removed, washed and drained
4 large eggs
1 Tbs dried anchovies
2 Tsp minced garlic
1 L water
salt
pepper
oil

Sai choy (Braised vegetables) 

6 shiitake dried mushrooms, soak overnight, cut bite size, reserved water
50 g glass noodles
1 Tbs minced garlic
3-5 thinly slice ginger (OPT)
1 packet bean curd sticks, break into pieces and soak about 30 minutes
500 g napa cabbage, cut into bite size
8 pieces dried black fungus, soak overnight, cut bite size, reserved water
1 canned straw mushrooms, about 425 g, drained water, cut in half
1 canned whole mushrooms about 425 g, drained water, cut in half
3 Tbs Sze chuan chili beancurd sauce, about 4 cubed beancurd
2 Tbs Shaoxing Chinese wine
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tsp sesame oil
2/3 c water reserved from the mushrooms
extra water if necessary

Method

To cook sai choy

Heat oil in wok on medium heat, add oil and ginger. Let the ginger caramelise for about 30 seconds without letting it burn. Next add in beancurd and break it up with wooden spoon. Add the garlic, shiitake mushrooms, black fungus and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the Shaoxing wine and stir fry for another minute. Next, add cabbage, and bean curd sticks; stir fry till softened for 2 minutes. Make sure it’s softened. Add other cut mushrooms, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster and water from mushrooms. Toss to mix well, cover the wok, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Let vegetables simmer for about 10 minutes. If water runs dry, add water. Before serving, soak glass vermicelli until softened, and mix into pot. Glass vermicelli absorbs liquid quickly, so if you add the noodles too early, they will bloat and there will be too little sauce left. Keep stirring. You want to have some sauce. I added a bit more liquid. Keep warm on very low heat and check there are enough sauce.

To cook spinach eggy soup

While vegetables simmering for about 10 minutes, start cooking soup. In a pot heat 1 Tbs oil on medium heat. Add anchovies stir for about 1-2 minutes until light brown and softened. Next add garlic stir until fragrant about 1 minute. Lower heat, add water and salt bring to boil with a lid. Next add spinach, and pepper, toss around to cook with lid on about 7 minutes until wiltered.

Beat the eggs lightly and pour in to soup. Stir constantly to get the egg looks like scramble but in small curl pieces. Check seasoning. Once eggs done add mushrooms cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat. Spoon a small bowl of cooked rice onto each bowls. Next spoon sai choy on top of rice. Then ladle some soup into each bowls. Serve with a glass of Prosecco. Enjoy!!!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2022/03/05/spinach-eggy-soup-sai-choy-mushroom-rice-soup/

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