Vietnamese Vegetable Soup - Canh cải - Helen Le

Season the beef with pepper, chicken stock and minced garlic ( ½ tsp each). Also add 2 tsp fish sauce and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Mix well and set aside for about 15 minutes.Next, peel and smash a small piece of ginger. For Rau cai, you just cut into 2-inch length, then rinse a few times to get rid of all the dust In a small pot, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and quickly stir-fry the beef for 1 minute. When the beef turns pale, immediately transfer to the bowl.Add 1 liter water (4 cups) to the pot and bring to a boil. (You can also use 1 part water and 1 part chicken broth to make the soup more hearty). When it boils, skim off the foam and season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp chicken stock. Have a taste and add a little bit fish sauce if needed.Then add the greens and bring the soup to a boil again.Just when it's about to boil again, add the stir-fried beef and mix well. And don;t forget to throw in the ginger. When it boils again, immediately turn off the heat to avoid overcooking the veggies. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve as part of a Vietnamese family meal.