Chinese Spinach in Stock (上汤苋菜)

Ingredients

1. 300 grams Chinese spinach (苋菜) (yin choi)
2. 5-10 clove of garlic
3. 1 teaspoon anchovy powder, or 1 anchovy stock cube, or handful of anchovy
4. 2 Century eggs (optional)
5. 1 bowl water
6. salt
7. 4 tablespoon cooking oil
8. 1 tablespoon fried anchovy (optional)

Method

1. “Pick” the spinach.  Ie using fingers to pick the spinach, first the leafy portion, and then the stalk portion.  While picking the stalk portion, peel off some of the fibrous outer layer if they come out along with picking it.  
2. Wash the spinach.
3. Remove the skin of the garlic, and keep it whole.  In a wok or pan, heat up cooking oil and fry the garlic till fragrant and golden brown (watch out that once it turn golden brown, it will burn very fast, so be quick to remove it)
4. If using anchovy, in the soup pot, heat up 1 tablespoon oil, and put anchovy in, fry till fragrant, and then add in the water. Allow to simmer for 30 mins, and then remove the anchovy.  If using anchovy powder or stock cubes, put water in soup pot and add it anchovy powder or stock cubes, allow to boil.
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Add in the spinach and cook till soft.
7. Add in the garlic, and boil for 1 min. Remove from heat.
8. If using century egg (de-shelled and cut into pieces), put the in the serving bowl.  Pour in the spinach and soup and serve.
9. Top up with 1 tablespoon pre-fried anchovy (optional) (photo does not have this)