Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

I went to the grocery store the other day in search of water spinach / morning glory (rau muống) for a quick vegetable side dish. But at $4.99/lb and a bundle of over 2 lbs, I skip the water spinach and got yam leaves instead.

Yam or sweet potato leaves are an underrated leafy vegetable. You probably won’t find them at American grocery stores, as they are usually considered a throwaway part of the tubers. Head to an Asian grocery store and they are available aplenty. They are very similar to the water spinach / morning glory in appearance, texture, and flavor. The main difference is that there are no large hollow stalks that the water spinach is most prized for.

Yam leaves are nutritious, delicious, and relatively inexpensive.

To prepare them, pinch a leaf or two with a bit of tender stem. Discard the main stalk, as they may be woody and tough to eat. Wash and rinse thoroughly a couple of times then drain off any excess water before cooking.

You can use the yam leaves in a simple stir fry with garlic and ginger, or in a soup. A quick soup recipe with yam leaves and dried salted shrimp is below for a traditional Vietnamese home-cooked family-style meal with steamed rice.

Happy cooking!

Traditional Vietnamese Home Cooking

Traditional Vietnamese Home Cooking

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Ingredients for Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Ingredients for Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nấu Tôm Khô)

Vietnamese Sweet Potato / Yam Leaves Soup with Salted Dried Shrimp (Canh Rau Khoai Lang Nau Tom Kho)

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. To a small stock pot, heat vegetable oil on medium high. Add garlic and dried shrimp. Saute until fragrant (10-20 seconds).
  2. Add water and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Occasionally skim off any foam that floats to the top if needed.
  3. Add sweet potato/yam leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Season stock with salt, stock powder, sugar and MSG.
  5. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with ground black pepper.