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Vietnamese Mustard Green Soup with Pork Spare Ribs (Canh Cai Be Xanh Nau Suon Heo)


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  • Author: Vicky Pham
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 5 1x

Description

A traditional Vietnamese soup side dish with pork ribs and mustard greens. Pair with steamed rice for a complete meal.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Pork

  • 3/4 lb pork spare ribs (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons salt (half for cleaning)
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar

Stock Seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves (peel and mince)
  • Half of small yellow onion
  • 2 liters water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)

Vegetables and Garnish

  • 1 bunch Chinese mustard greens (Cai Be Xanh; cut into 2-inch segments)
  • Dash ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Parboil the Pork Ribs: Optional by highly recommended: Cleaning/parboiling the pork ribs will remove all the impurities and foul-smell of pork. Add bones and salt (1 teaspoon) to small stock pot and fill with water to cover. Bring the pot to a rolling boil on the stove (uncovered). Once it comes to a rolling boil and foam/impurities float to the top, immediately turn off heat. Place a colander in the sink and pour content of pot into the colander, discarding the dirty water. Rinse bones under cold running water and drain dry.
  2. Marinate the Ribs: To the parboiled bones, marinate with remaining salt (1 teaspoon), stock powder and sugar for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Sauté Aromatics: To a small stock pot, heat vegetable oil on medium high. Add garlic and onions. Saute until fragrant (10-20 seconds only). Add marinated pork spare ribs and quickly toss to coat in aromatics.
  4. Simmer the Soup: Add water and bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Occasionally skim off any foam that float to the top. Scoop out and discard yellow onion once it becomes translucent and limp.
  5. Season the Stock: Season stock with salt, stock powder, sugar and MSG.
  6. Add the Mustard Greens: Add Chinese mustard green and cook for additional 5 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with a dash of black pepper for a beautiful finish.
 
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Category: Soup, Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Vietnamese