Spinach soup is prepared in various ways in different countries. Some versions include orzo pasta and roasted tomatoes, while others may make it a creamy soup. Today, I’d like to introduce you to Chinese spinach soup.

In Chinese, spinach is called Yin Choy (苋菜) and is typically prepared with ginger, goji berries, century eggs, and dried shrimp. This is considered a luxury soup, often served in high-end Chinese restaurants. Let’s explore the details.

My Malaysian version of the Chinese spinach soup 上汤苋菜 does not include chilies. Instead, it commonly uses ikan bilis (the local anchovies) as the soup base. These differences make it taste different from the Chinese version.

I adjusted my recipe by substituting the anchovy stock with the homemade Chicken stock and including some dried shrimp to provide the seafood taste.

Dong guai and ginkgo nuts are two optional ingredients I add to the soup, rendering some herbal flavor and a different texture.

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Here is a detailed explanation of how to prepare Chinese spinach soup.

A. The soup base

The stock for the soup is crucial to making it a successful dish.

There are a few ways to prepare the stock. First, you can use homemade Chinese chicken stock as the base for the soup. Kindly refer to my article on how to prepare the chicken stock. 

If you dislike chicken broth, prepare a dried anchovy stock for the spinach soup.

Here are the steps to prepare anchovy stock.

• Heat some vegetable oil in the wok.
• Add the washed and pat dry anchovies (ikan bilis) and stir-fry over medium heat until aromatic.
• Add the water to the wok, then lower the heat to simmer for twenty minutes.
• Pour the broth through a wire mesh strainer to capture all the anchovies. Discard the anchovies. The stock is ready.

B. Prepare the ingredients

a. Wash the spinach

There are different types of Chinese spinach in Malaysia. I prefer choosing red spinach, which is more colorful and tender.

• Cut off the stem of the spinach.
• Plug off the leaves and discard the tough stalks. You can also use some of the tender parts of the stalks to make the soup.
• Rinse the leaves with water several times, potentially containing plenty of dirt and sand. You should take this step seriously as we have experienced sandy soup in restaurants.
• Drain in a colander.

b. Salted egg and century egg

You must boil the salted duck egg before cutting them into small pieces. On the contrary, you do not need to cook the century egg in advance as it is already in a solid form when raw. 

Crack to remove the shell of the salted egg and century egg. Separate the egg yolks from the egg white, then cut them into small pieces. We will cook the white in the stock briefly, then add the yolks at the last minute of cooking. The egg yolks, especially the century egg yolks, can darken the color of the soup and break up into small pieces if you add them in the early stage. You will get a clear spinach soup by adding the yolks last.

You should be able to get salted and century eggs in most Asian grocery stores. Otherwise, it is available online from Amazon.

c. Dried shrimps

Soak the dried shrimp in hot water to soften them. Then remove and drain.

d. Additional ingredients (optional)

• Crack the ginkgo nuts, discard the shell, and remove the inner stem, which is bitter. You can buy those sealed in vacuum bags without the shell to save time.
• Prepare a tablespoon of goji berries and two slices of dong guai.

C. The cooking process

• Heat some oil in the wok (or a thick bottom soup pot) to medium. Add a few cloves of garlic. Try not to bash them so that they stay intact. Stir-fry the cloves until fragrant, golden brown, and slightly charred on the surface.

• Add the dried shrimp and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the homemade chicken stock. Throw in the dong guai at this time to give enough time to release the flavor. Add the white part of the century and salted eggs when the stock starts to boil.

• Include the spinach. Cook until the vegetables start to wilt. Season the soup with salt, sugar, and white pepper powder.

• Add the egg yolk pieces. Finally, add a handful of wolfberries (goji berries)  to the soup before serving.

Other Chinese soup recipes

Here are my picks of some delicious soup recipes for you since you like the Chinese-style spinach soup:

• Egg drop soup is one of the most well-known soups outside Asia. It only involves a few simple ingredients. Please refer to my Chinese chicken stock recipe if you want to use it as the base for the egg drop soup.
• Wintermelon soup is the best to warm your heart, especially in winter. It has a subtle winter melon flavor and dried shiitake mushrooms aroma.