Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

I went to the grocery store the other day in search of water spinach/morning glory (rau muống) for a quick vegetable side dish. But at $4.99/lb and a bundle of over 2 lbs,

I skipped the water spinach and got yam leaves instead.

Yam or sweet potato leaves are an underrated leafy vegetable. You probably won’t find them at American grocery stores, as they are usually considered a throwaway part of the tubers.

Head to an Asian grocery store and they are available aplenty. They are very similar to the water spinach/morning glory in appearance, texture, and flavor.

The main difference is that there are no large hollow stalks that the water spinach is most prized for.

Yam leaves are nutritious, delicious, and relatively inexpensive.

To prepare them, pinch a leaf or two with a bit of tender stem. Discard the main stalk, as they may be woody and tough to eat. Wash and rinse thoroughly a couple of times then drain off any excess water before cooking.

You can use the yam leaves in a simple stir fry with garlic and ginger, or in a soup.

A quick soup recipe with yam leaves and dried salted shrimp is below for a traditional Vietnamese home-cooked family-style meal with steamed rice.

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

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• Author: Vicky Pham
• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 3 1x

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Description

Here is a quick soup recipe with yam leaves and dried salted shrimp for a traditional Vietnamese home-cooked family-style meal.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves (peel and mince)
• 1/2 cup dried salted shrimp (soften with hot water for 15 minutes; rinse and drain)
• 1 liter water
• 8 oz sweet potato leaves/tender stems
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Sauté: Heat vegetable oil on medium high in a pot. Add garlic and dried shrimp. Sauté until fragrant (10-20 seconds).
2. Add water: Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Occasionally skim off any foam that floats to the top if needed.
3. Add sweet potato/yam leaves: Cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Season stock: Add salt, stock powder, sugar and MSG.
5. Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with ground black pepper.

• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 12
• Category: side dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: asian, vietnamese

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