Vietnamese Mustard Greens and Pork Soup

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare all ingredients before cooking: wash 300 g fresh mustard greens thoroughly under cold running water and slice them into 4 cm ribbons. Peel 15 g fresh ginger and slice into thin matchsticks. Finely chop 2 shallots. Set a medium soup pot on the counter and measure 1200 ml of fresh water into a pitcher.

2. 2

   In a small mixing bowl, combine 250 g ground pork with half of the chopped shallots, 10 ml fish sauce, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork until the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5 minutes so the pork absorbs the savory flavors.

3. 3

   Place the medium soup pot on the stove over medium heat and add 10 ml sesame oil. Once the oil glistens, add the remaining chopped shallots and ginger matchsticks. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the aromatics soften, release a rich fragrance, and turn lightly golden without burning.

4. 4

   Add the seasoned ground pork to the pot with the aromatic mixture. Stir gently over medium heat using your wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Cook for 3 minutes until the pork is completely browned, no longer pink, and lightly sizzling. If the meat begins to stick to the pot, turn the heat down slightly.

5. 5

   Pour 1200 ml water into the pot with the browned pork and stir well. Increase stove heat to high and bring the broth to a rapid boil. As grey foam rises to the surface, use a large spoon or skimmer to skim it off completely, leaving a clean, clear soup base bubbling steadily.

6. 6

   Add the chopped mustard greens to the boiling broth and press them down into the liquid. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the stems are tender yet vibrant green. Stir in the remaining 20 ml fish sauce, remove the pot from heat immediately, and ladle hot into deep soup bowls.

Serve with

Drink

Chinese Chrysanthemum Goji Herbal Tea (Juhua Gouqi Cha)

Chinese · 30 min