indonesiansoupspinachveganlowfatquickbeginner

Sayur Bening Bayam

Name: Sayur Bening Bayam
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 14 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 700 ml water; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, thinly sliced; 1 small (20 g) shallot, thinly sliced; 1 leaf bay leaf; 100 g sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob; 1 tsp (5 g) salt; 1/8 tsp (0.3 g) white pepper; 120 g spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut

Sayur Bening Bayam is a delicate, comforting soup with a crystal-clear broth, sweet bursts of corn, and tender spinach. It is clean-tasting, gently aromatic, and perfect as a light side dish or simple healthy meal.

14 min

2 servings

43 kcal

Indonesian

Ingredients

Kuah bening

700 mlwater
2 cloves (6 g)garlic, thinly sliced
1 small (20 g)shallot, thinly sliced
1 leafbay leaf
100 gsweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob
1 tsp (5 g)salt
1/8 tsp (0.3 g)white pepper

Sayuran

120 gspinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut

Instructions

1
Prepare the vegetables: thinly slice the garlic and shallot, cut the corn kernels from the cob, and roughly cut the spinach. Keeping the spinach pieces fairly large helps them stay tender instead of turning mushy.
2
Bring the water to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallot, bay leaf, corn, salt, and white pepper. Boil for 5-6 minutes, until the corn is just tender and the broth smells fragrant. A gentle boil is enough; hard boiling can dull the fresh flavor.
3
Add the spinach and press it gently into the hot broth. Cook for 30-60 seconds only, just until wilted and bright green. Do not overcook; sayur bening should taste fresh and light.
4
Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and taste the broth. Adjust salt if needed, then serve immediately while the spinach is vivid green and the broth is clear.

Nutrition per serving

43 kcal

Calories

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the clearest, freshest-tasting broth, add the spinach at the very end and serve right away.
•You can use baby spinach for even faster prep; if using mature spinach, remove any tough stems.
•A small piece of sliced tomato is sometimes added in home cooking, but leaving it out keeps the soup especially light and low-fat.

Background

Sayur bening is a simple Indonesian home-style vegetable soup known for its light, clear broth and quick cooking. Bayam (spinach) is one of the most common versions, often paired with sweet corn and aromatics like shallot and garlic for an everyday family meal.

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