How to Make Spinach Tofu Soup

Spinach tofu soup is a standard home-cooked dish among Chinese people, not often found in restaurants. It's simple and quick to make.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3 quarts pork broth
• spinach: one bundle (wash well) or one salad bag. Remember that raw spinach has five times the volume of cooked.
• one package extra-firm white tofu, cut into small cubes
• one bundle mei fun (optional). This is sometimes called "bean thread" and is a long, thin, translucent white noodle.
• sliced mushrooms (optional)
• Chinese-style pickled radishes (optional). Comes in jars or cans, sold in Asian grocery stores.
• 1 teaspoon corn oil
• sesame oil to taste
• black pepper to taste

1. 
   spinach, tofu, and a bundle of mei fun

   At the bottom of the soup pot, sauté the tofu and any mushrooms in a small amount of corn oil, until the mushrooms are soft and the tofu is slightly browned and crisped.

2. Pour the broth into the pot and bring it to a boil.

3. Add mei fun and radishes (if using any).

4. When it comes to a boil again, stir in the spinach. Cook for a minute more, until all of the spinach has wilted into the liquid, and then turn off the heat.

5. When serving, add some black pepper and sesame oil to each bowl. If the soup doesn't seem salty enough, also add soy sauce.

Tips & Warnings

• The broth must be pork broth. If there is absolutely none to be found, you can substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth, but in that case you must add a small amount of ground pork to the soup. Brown it first in the bottom of the soup pot before putting in the broth. It still won't be the same but it will do in a pinch.
• Try breaking an egg into the soup just before it finishes cooking - one per bowl to be served. Poached eggs go well with the soup.

[veryirie]

on 10/17/2008 Well written; I'll have to try this. I wrote an article on tofu salad; you may want to check it out. Good job!

[Kayar]

on 7/19/2008 Thanks. It is. :)

[luv2blog]

on 7/18/2008 Sounds delicious.