Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Indonesian Sayur Bening Spinach Corn Soup
印尼菠菜粟米清湯
Recipe overview
Sweetcorn, shallot, garlic and fingerroot flavour a clear broth before spinach is added for less than a minute, keeping the soup bright, tender and easy to drink.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 250 g spinach
- 200 g sweetcorn kernels
- 1.2 L water
- 10 g garlic
- 60 g shallots
- 15 g fingerroot
Clear-soup seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
02
Tools
- Chef’s knife and two chopping boards
- Colander or fine sieve
- Heavy soup pot and wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Clean deep serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Pick, wash and drain spinach
Pick spinach leaves from thick stems, wash twice and drain in a colander.
Step 2
Cut corn and aromatics
Cut corn kernels from the cob and slice shallots, garlic and fingerroot thinly.
Step 3
Bring measured water to a gentle boil
Bring 1.2 litres water to a gentle boil in a soup pot.
Step 4
Simmer corn and aromatics
Add corn, shallots, garlic and fingerroot; keep at a gentle boil for 8 minutes.
Step 5
Skim for a clear broth
Skim any foam so the broth remains clear and drinkable.
Step 6
Season lightly
Season with salt, white pepper and a small amount of sugar; stir until dissolved.
Step 7
Taste the corn broth
Taste the corn broth; it should be lightly sweet before spinach is added.
Step 8
Cook spinach stems first
Add spinach stems first and cook 30 seconds over medium heat.
Step 9
Wilt the leaves briefly
Add spinach leaves and cook 45 seconds only until bright green and just wilted.
Step 10
Stop cooking at once
Turn off heat immediately; residual heat finishes the leaves without dulling them.
Step 11
Check tenderness and colour
Check corn is tender and spinach remains green with no fibrous stems.
Step 12
Serve as a clear drinkable soup
Ladle clear soup into warm bowls and serve as a drinkable soup for elderly diners.
Common mistakes
- Adding spinach with corn makes it overcook.
- A hard boil clouds the broth.
- Leaving gritty spinach unwashed spoils the soup.
- Serving tough corn or fibrous stems is unsuitable for elderly diners.
Tips
Use a gentle boil so the soup stays clear and suitable for drinking.
Cook spinach only at the end; long boiling makes it dull and soft.
For elderly diners, slice fingerroot thinly and remove it before serving if desired.
