Egyptian Spinach Soup / Canh Rau Đay

Like many kids, I didn’t grow up enjoying most vegetables, but the one I could eat without fail was my mom’s canh rau đay, or Egyptian spinach soup. The veggie also goes by the names of Vietnamese Moringa Leaves, Jute Leaves, or Molochia. Whatever you call it, I call it delicious.

This isn’t a dish you would ever find at a Vietnamese restaurant; this is purely a Vietnamese home-cooked staple. It pairs perfectly with any of our braised dishes like thịt kho tiêu (braised black pepper pork belly) or gà kho gừng (ginger braised chicken), and really completes the whole dinner.

What makes this soup unique is its texture and viscosity. Massing the leaves before adding them to the soup gives it a, for lack of a better term, saliva or mucus-like consistency and is similar to what you would find in okra or aloe vera. Now I will say, though, that Hanna absolutely hates it when I describe it as such, but think about it as nature’s cornstarch slurry.

This soup is dedicated to all the Millennials and Gen-Z’ers who don’t live with their parents anymore and miss their home-cooked meals. Every time I have it, I’m instantly teleported back to my childhood in my mom’s kitchen.

Egyptian Spinach Soup / Canh Rau Đay

4.7 from 29 votes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 3 quart Water

• 1 bundle Egyptian Spinach

• 1/4 cup Dried Shrimp

• 1 Small Shallot

• 1 tbsp Oil

• 1 tbsp MSG

• 1 tbsp Sugar

• 2 tbsp Fish Sauce

• Salt and Pepper

• Shrimp meatball:

• 1 lb Shrimp

• 1 tsp Fish Sauce

• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

• Garnishes:

• Green Onions

Directions

• Rehydrated dried shrimp in warm water, then put aside
• Add oil and sauté minced shallots until fragrant in a small stock pot. Add dried shrimp and sauté for another minute. Add water, bring up to a boil, and skim off the impurities
• Wash Egyptian spinach, remove woodsy stems, then cut it into strips, and massage it until the leaves give off sticky residue. Then add to the pot
• Season broth with fish sauce, MSG, sugar, and salt to taste
• Combine minced shrimp with fish sauce and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Use a spoon to form small balls and add them to the soup pot. When they float, they’re done cooking
• Garnish with green onions and serve

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