Hello there, dear friends!
Today I have decided to show you an improved version of a recipe that I connect with my childhood.
I can still remember how my mouth was watering when my mother was preparing that dish.
Her soup, of course, was slightly different - thin (without any thickening agent) and a bit watery (not in taste but in consistency).
In time I have stopped consuming any spinach and hardly think of preparing it at home. But in the last couple of years, I have to say that I have rediscovered its flavor and the benefits it has.
In the recent past, I have decided to incorporate it into my eating habit and cooking menu since it is rich in IRON which is important during pregnancy (and not only).
My version of this soup is thicker and I believe has more rich taste compared to my mom's version. Also, eggs are something that I have totally decided to add on my own but I believe they enhance the spinach and herbs flavor.
So let's start with that delicious recipe!
I will be showing you the process step by step with description and photos but I have also decided to add a video of the entire cooking process (without prep) for you at the end of my article.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 carrot (medium size)
- 1/2 cup green onion
- 350 gr spinach
- 7 tbsp. tomatoes
- 150 gr. rice
- 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 8 tbsp. olive oil
- salt (to taste)
- dried smoked red pepper (to taste)
- curry powder (to taste)
- savory (to taste)
- water
First, you should start by slicing the green onion (AKA "scallion") into small slices. That amount equals around 3 or 4 pieces of onion.
Also, you would have to peel and grate your carrot. My grater has 2 sizes and I prefer the bigger one. This way you will still not only taste but also feel small pieces of the carrot inside your soup.
After that comes the time to cut your main hero for the day - the SPINACH himself. I would hardly call that "cutting) because I usually just slice the leaves into 2 or 3 parts and not more. You can even do it with your hand if you don't want to use a knife. Here applies the same as with the carrot. Since the spinach decreases its size when cooked I prefer to leave it in bigger pieces so I can later feel it in the soup.
Now it is time to stop prepping and start cooking. From this point on you will also be able to see the timelapse video I am attaching at the end of my article.
At some moments you will see my hands holding my phone while I take photos for the article (LOL).
Grab a pan and pour the olive oil inside. Turn your stove on to medium to high temperature.
After the oil is hot enough pour the sliced green onion and the carrot inside. Let it fry until softens a bit and then add all of the herbs and spices. Stir very very well and leave for a couple of minutes.
Then add the flour to the mixture in the frying pan - this is your thickening agent for the soup. When added you should stir the flour very well and make sure it is homogeneously spread through the mixture.
Now it is time to add the chopped tomatoes. The truth is you don't have to use fresh tomatoes. Mine are canned and they still taste quite good combined with the other ingredients. Stir again and around 100 - 150 ml of water. Leave it for around 4-5 minutes.
Add the rice at this point. Stir well and leave for a couple of minutes - until the mixture becomes thicker the rice absorbs some of the liquid.
After that, you should move the base of your soup from the frying pan into a cooking pot. Add more water - around 800-900 ml. This is the second part of your recipe - you start with the slow cooking now. Lower the stove to medium temperature.
After the soup has been cooking for a couple of minutes you can add the spinach on top. At this point, you will not be able to stir since the spinach is too much and takes up all the free space in the pot. Leave it like that until the spinach softens and decreases its size.
After that, add some more water - around 200 ml, and leave for about 30 minutes.
It will turn into this:
Add your hard-poached eggs and leave for a couple of minutes more so that they can absorb the taste of the soup.
*For that I use the same process as poaching eggs but I leave them in the water for around 15 to 18 minutes. Also, I add 3 tbsp. of white vinegar and 2 pinches of salt in my boiling water before I drop the eggs.
PRO-TIP:
If you want you can add around 100 ml of whole milk to your soup when finished.
This is going to slightly change the taste and look of your soup and those veggies are going to POP even more!
Here is the video:
Et voilà!
Your homemade spinach soup is ready for you to enjoy! I hope you like that creamy rich flavor and thick consistency!
Don't forget to share your feedback with me in case you decide to try the recipe at home!
Stay tasty,
Chef Kate