Spinach and Corn Soup

My sister and I love Spinach and Corn Soup (Sayur Bening). Recently she asked me to write the recipe for her. I thought I’d share my version of the Javanese vegetable soup here with all of you. The dish is so simple and delicious. I feel like this particular soup is a perfect buffer to other Javanese bold-flavor, strong spice-infused, and complex dishes. The combination of corn and shallots gives a little sweetness to the soup while the blend of spinach, garlic, and galangal provides a subtle but inviting aroma.  It is easy to prepare and it makes a great company for meat, chicken, or fish main courses.

Here are the must-haves:

-2 cups of water

-1/2 Bag of spinach leaves

-1 Bag of frozen corn kernels (get the smaller bag)

-3-4 Cloves of garlic (chop into tiny bits)

-3 Shallots (chop into tiny bits)

-1 inch of galangal root (or ½ teaspoon of galangal powder)

-Salt

Steps to follow:

• Bring water to boil in a small or medium pot
• Add a pinch of salt
• Throw in the galangal root/powder for aroma (optional)
• Add the chopped garlic and shallots along with the corn kernels into the pot
• Wait until the soup simmers
• Add the spinach leaves into the bubbling soup and stir (no more than 1 minute to avoid overcooking the spinach)
• Take out the galangal root before serving

Serve 2

For my sister across the ocean