Water Spinach and Beef Soup (Canh Rau Muong Thit Bo)
Servings Prep. Time Cooking Time Calories % from Fat Fat Sodium Carbohydrates Protein Cholesterol
4-6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A


INGREDIENTS:
BEEF AND MARINADE: 6 ounces lean beef (sirloin, filet or chuck) 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce) freshly ground black pepper
SOUP: 1 small bunch of water spinach, or 4 ounces fresh spinach 3 tablespoons nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce) 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper 1 fresh red chile pepper, finely sliced (optional)



1 Prepare the beef and marinade: Thinly slice the beef against the grain into strips that are 1 inch wide by 2 inches long. Mix the beef with the garlic, shallot, sugar, fish sauce and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, prepare the soup: If using water spinach, wash it first. Smash the stems with the back of a heavy cleaver. Cut into 2-inch sections. If using fresh spinach, do not remove the stems; clean with several changes of water to remove any sand; drain.
3 In a 3-quart saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the spinach and bring back to a boil. Season the broth with the fish sauce. Add the beef and turn off the heat. Separate the beef slices with chopstick or a fork and stir to heat through. Stir in the lemon juice.
4 Ladle the soup into a heated tureen and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the hot chile pepper on the side, if desired.

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