Nyob Zoo (Hello) All!

Today, I’ll be showing you how to use up smoked beef that I showed you a couple weeks ago. We will be making a soup using a super fantastic summer vegetable: Squash shoots! In the Hmong Leeg dialect, we like to call this soup Ntsis taub hau ntsug nqaj nyuj qhaa. Ntsis taub refers to squash shoots. Hau ntsug means boiled with, and Nqaj Nyuj Qhaa refers to smoked beef. Squash shoots are usually harvested during the summer time to early fall and they are edible! They are great in soups or stir fry. Very earthy, a little sweet, and packed full of vitamins! This is one of the many ways I like to use up squash shoots and smoked beef. Very simple but it does sooth the soul.

So give it a try! Happy cooking!

Main Ingredients

Kabocha squash shoots: The outer shoots that peeks out during summer time. Tender and edible!

A good bundle of the shoots along with some young kabocha squashes to be used in the soup
Squash blossoms, lemongrass, chili peppers, basil, salt, and mushroom seasoning to bring out more flavor to the soup Make sure to trim off the outer spiky layer of the stems before cooking

Smoked beef! Brings great flavor to the soup. If you want to learn how to make this, check out the recipe here: https://chawjcreations.com/2021/08/07/hmong-smoked-beef/

Cooking the soup Serve with rice
And mix it with rice! YUM! 

Enjoy!

-Cindy Her (C.HerCreations)

Squash Shoots w/ Smoked Beef Soup: Ntsis Taub Hau Ntsug Nqaj Nyuj Qhaa

Serves: 6-10 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes 5-10 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

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Ingredients

• 1 lb smoked beef (sliced into bite size pieces)
• 1.5 lb squash shoots (trimmed)
• 1 luffah gourd (peeled, and chopped)
• 2-3 mini young squash or zucchini
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp mushroom seasoning
• 3-4 chili pepper (sliced in half)
• 1 lemongrass leaf bundle (or use 1 whole lemongrass smashed)
• A handful of basil of you choice
• 2 quarts water + 1 quart of the cooking liquid from the smoked beef (12 cups total)

Instructions

1. Tenderizing the smoked beef

In an instant pot, place the smoked beef in. Pour 1 quart of water and set it on the stew/meat section on high for 30 minutes. If you don't have an instant pot, you can use a pressure cooker for 15 minutes or just boil the beef in a pot for at least 45 minutes or until tender. I'm using an instant pot for faster cooking time.

2. Trimming/cleaning the squash shoots

Peel the outer spiky layer of the squash shoots before cooking. Break into bite size pieces and rinse well.

3. Cut the young kabocha squash into bite size pieces. Peel the luffa gourd and cut into bite size pieces as well.

4. In a pot, add 2 quarts of water along with 1 quart of the cooking liquid from the smoked beef. You should have a total of 12 cups of liquid for the soup. Bring it to a boil and add in the sliced smoked beef, salt, mushroom seasoning, lemongrass and the squash/luffah chunks. Let it boil for 3 minutes. Taste before adding in the shoots. Then add in the squash shoots and chili pepper and boil until the stems are just about tender. Do not over cook or else it will be mush. It should take about 3-5 minutes to cook. Turn off heat and add in the basil leaves. Stir and you're done. Taste and enjoy with white rice! YUM!

Notes

You can make this vegetarian without the meat. Other proteins you can use can be chicken, pork, or tofu