Chinese Leaf Soup

Take a large head of Chinese Leaf ( a cabbage family vegetable), and break it up with your hands, washing thoroughly. Put this aside in a colander to drain.

In the bottom of your pot, place three or four large onions, which you have sliced, a tablespoon of ginger powder, a blade of mace, and a tablespoon of mashed garlic. You may also add some pepper and a dash of chilli if you desire a more fiery flavour.

If you have any to hand, you may chop a bunch of shallots and add them to the onions and spices.

Throw in a tablespoon of dried rosemary, a teaspoon of dried parsley, and any other green herbs you desire. Salt to taste - around a level tablespoon of salt is required for this much liquid, however, you may wish to add more, or less, depending on your palate.

Pour over this 1/2 to 3/4 of a large cup of olive oil, and simmer gently in the base of your cooking pot on a low heat until the onions are tender and transparent. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Do not be concerned if the spices stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once the onions are tender and transparent, throw in the leaves from your Chinese Leaf, and pour 800mL or so of water over the mix. Add a tin of thick coconut milk, or the blended juice and meat of a green coconut. Cover and heat until it simmers.

Take this off the hob, and blend it with a hand blender until it is as smooth as you require it to be.

Before returning the soup to the stove, slake a heaped tablespoon of tapioca or white sweet potato starch in some cold water, and stir this rapidly into the soup.

Return to the heat, until it simmers again, and thickens somewhat.

You may if you wish, place two lightly beaten egg yolks in the base of a tureen, and pour the hot soup over this, before bringing it to the table to serve, or it may be served just as it is, with or without a light grating of parmesan cheese.


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