CHINESE SPINACH WITH THREE EGGS (三蛋菜)

Method22 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Clean the dried ikan bilis (30 g) as needed and drain it thoroughly dry. Wash and prepare the five ginger slices before heating the wok.

   Uses 30 g dried ikan bilis · 5 ginger slices · Water, as needed to clean dried anchovies and ginger

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat the 1 tbsp oil in the wok. Add the prepared ginger slices and fry until fragrant without scorching.

   Uses 1 tbsp cooking oil · All five prepared ginger slices from step 1, with fish kept separate

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the cleaned, thoroughly drained ikan bilis to the fragrant ginger and oil. Fry for about 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring so it does not burn.

   Fry dried anchovies · 2 minUses All the fragrant ginger and oil from step 2 · All the dried ikan bilis prepared in step 1, with ginger already used and cleaning water discarded

4. 4

   Step 4: Carefully pour in all 500 ml boiling stock water. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, checking from 15 minutes. Sieve into a clean container, keeping all the usable broth separate from the strained anchovy and ginger solids.

   Simmer anchovy stock · 15 minUses All fried ikan bilis, ginger and cooking oil from step 3 · 500 ml boiling stock water

5. 5

   Step 5: While the stock simmers, unpack the ready cooked salted egg (1) according to its package directions and remove its shell. Keep the edible egg separate from the discarded packaging and shell.

   Uses 1 ready cooked salted egg

6. 6

   Step 6: Cut the cooked salted egg into small cubes and keep them ready for the broth.

   Uses All edible cooked salted egg from step 5, with shell discarded

7. 7

   Step 7: Unpack the ready-to-eat century egg (1) according to its directions and peel it, discarding its packaging and shell.

   Uses 1 ready-to-eat century egg

8. 8

   Step 8: Cut the century egg into small cubes. Keep them separate from the salted-egg cubes so they can be added at their own stage.

   Uses All edible century egg from step 7, with shell discarded

9. 9

   Step 9: Crack the two chicken eggs into clean bowls, separating the yolks from the whites. Lightly beat each separately and keep them cold until the finishing stage.

   Uses 2 chicken eggs

10. 10

    Step 10: Separate the spinach leaves from the stems. Discard damaged leaves and remove the fibrous skin from the stems as much as possible, retaining both edible leaves and stems separately.

    Uses 500 g Chinese round spinach

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the 1 tbsp washing salt to a basin of water and wash the leaves and stems separately without prolonged soaking. Rinse with fresh water 2–3 times and drain well, keeping leaves and stems separate. Discard all washing and rinsing water.

    Uses All edible leaves and stems prepared in step 10, with trimmings discarded · 1 tbsp salt for washing only · Water, as needed for separate salted washing and fresh rinses

12. 12

    Step 12: Return the sieved anchovy broth to the wok and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

    Uses All usable sieved broth from step 4, with anchovy and ginger solids retained separately

13. 13

    Step 13: Add the prepared spinach stems to the boiling broth and cook for about 2 minutes.

    Cook spinach stems · 2 minUses All the boiling broth from step 12 · All washed edible stems from step 11, with leaves kept separate and wash water discarded

14. 14

    Step 14: Add the prepared spinach leaves to the stems and broth. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the leaves are soft and the stems break easily when pressed with a spatula.

    Cook spinach leaves · 4 minUses All stems and broth from step 13 · All washed edible leaves from step 11, with stems already used and wash water discarded

15. 15

    Step 15: Stir in the ½ tsp sesame oil.

    Uses All tender spinach and broth from step 14 · ½ tsp sesame oil

16. 16

    Step 16: Lift the cooked spinach into a serving dish, leaving its broth in the wok. Keep the greens ready for the hot egg topping.

    Uses All the cooked spinach and broth from step 15

17. 17

    Step 17: Bring the retained broth back to a boil, add the cooked salted-egg cubes and cook for about 1 minute.

    Heat salted egg in broth · 1 minUses All broth left in the wok in step 16, with the plated greens separate · All cooked salted-egg cubes from step 6

18. 18

    Step 18: Add the diced century egg and stir gently without breaking up the cubes.

    Uses All broth and salted egg from step 17 · All century-egg cubes from step 8

19. 19

    Step 19: Pour the prepared egg yolks into the hot broth and swirl gently for about 1 minute.

    Swirl chicken-egg yolks · 1 minUses All broth and preserved eggs from step 18 · All yolks from the two eggs separated in step 9, with whites kept separate

20. 20

    Step 20: Pour in the prepared egg whites in a thin stream while swirling gently. Keep the mixture hot until the whites and yolks are fully set and the egg mixture reaches 71°C/160°F, then turn off the heat.

    Uses All broth and eggs from step 19 · All whites from the two eggs separated in step 9, with yolks already added

21. 21

    Step 21: Gently scoop from the bottom and fold the fully set egg mixture toward the center, keeping the preserved-egg cubes intact.

    Uses All fully cooked egg topping and broth from step 20

22. 22

    Step 22: Pour the hot egg mixture and broth over the plated spinach and serve promptly as five side portions.

    Uses All completed egg topping and broth from step 21 · All cooked greens lifted in step 16, with broth already used for the topping