The aroma of crispy garlic and century eggs coats the surface of the spinach.
Deep-fried golden garlic, century eggs, and spinach come together in a combination you'll likely only find in Cantonese cuisine—Cantonese cooking truly has a unique way with vegetables.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
250 g (about 8 oz) spinach
Additional Ingredients
2 preserved duck eggs (century eggs)
1 head of garlic
Seasonings
5 g (about 1 teaspoon) Chinese rice wine
2 g salt
5 g oyster sauce
For an even more flavorful dish, substitute the preserved century eggs with raw salted duck eggs and replace the water with chicken broth.
Instructions
Instructions
Preparation
Step 1: Wash the spinach, cut into sections, peel the century eggs and cut into small pieces (Image 2), slice each garlic clove in half and set aside (Image 3).
*If the garlic cloves are large, cut them in half; if small, leave them whole. If the century egg yolk is too runny, it's best to blanch it first, otherwise the final soup will be cloudy.
② Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok until it reaches about 70% hot (when it starts to shimmer), then add the garlic (Image 4) and fry until the surface turns golden brown, then remove and set aside (Image 5).
*The oil temperature for frying the garlic needs to be quite high; otherwise, it will brown very slowly and the rich, toasted aroma won't be released.
Step 3: In a separate pot, blanch the spinach in boiling water, then drain and set aside (Image 6).
*Blanch the spinach briefly to remove the oxalic acid's bitter taste, but don't overcook—remove it as soon as it turns bright green and softens.
Simmer the spinach in the broth until just wilted, then add the century eggs and fried garlic, cooking briefly to allow the flavors to meld.
④ Rinse the wok clean, pour in some hot water or chicken broth, first add the century eggs and charred garlic, then add the Shaoxing wine and bring to a boil, letting it cook for about 15 seconds (Image 7).
*Be sure to first boil the fried garlic and century eggs in water so the broth becomes more flavorful; add a small amount of Shaoxing wine to remove the century eggs' gamey taste, but don't use too much.
⑤ Keep the heat on high, add the spinach along with oyster sauce and salt, stir well until it comes to a boil, then remove from heat and serve (Image 8).
*Adding oyster sauce enhances the umami flavor; if using chicken broth, there is no need to add oyster sauce.
