Jab Chai (Chinese Leafy Greens Soup)
1 hour
My mother used to make this soup, especially when there was leftover roasted pork belly or roast duck and greens in the fridge. This recipe calls for fresh pork belly, but please use whatever meats or vegetables you find in your fridge that you think would fit into the pot. This soup is a most delicious way to use up leftovers.
3 people made this
Ingredients
Serves: 6
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard + 2 more tablespoons
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed + 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 5 cilantro roots, finely minced
- 250 grams fresh pork belly, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 2 small or 1 large white radish, cut into 3 cm cubes
- ½ head Chinese cabbage, cut into 2 cm sections
- 4 cups Chinese mustard greens, cut into 2 cm sections
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons fermented soybean sauce (dao jiaw sauce)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- fish sauce to taste
Directions
Prep:15min ›
Cook:45min ›
Ready in:1hr
- Heat 2 tablespoons of fat in a large heavy pot. Add and fry until pork is nicely browned.
- Add the smashed garlic cloves and cilantro roots and fry until fragrant.
- Add the radish, cabbage, greens and dark soy sauce. Add enough water to three-quarters of the ingredients’ level. The mustard greens will shrink considerably. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour or two, or until the pork is very tender. Add water as needed to keep the ingredients covered.
- When the meat is tender heat a small pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of fat and the finely minced garlic. Fry until fragrant and golden brown, then add the fermented soy bean sauce and the sugar. Fry until fragrant again.
- Add this mixture to the pot. Stir in well. Adjust seasoning with more sugar or fish sauce to taste.
