Sayur Bening (My Whole Life Is A Lie – The Carrot Story)

Hi Guys!

Have you ever tried purple carrots?

I don’t think I ever had purple carrots before Canada and I never really paid attention that my soup would turn purplish. Granted, all these times whenever I had purple carrots, we either steamed them, mashed them, ate them as is, or they were added into chili beans with lots of tomato paste and bbq sauce, so I never really thought of purple broth/soup.

I have a cousin back in Indonesia who would cook purple spinach (sometimes they are referred as red spinach too). When I first visited her house, I think it was a sleepover actually, she prepared purple/red spinach soup – we call it “Sayur Bening”. It was my first time EVER to ever encountered let alone eat, sayur bening that is not BENING (bening means clear/see through). How would it be bening when the soup was…..reddish/purplish. I was shocked 🤣

So yeah, it was my 1st time ever learning the existence of different color of spinach. This was in 1992 I believe.

Now, back to my purple carrots story.

I often prepare spinach soup (sayur bening) in this house. Rich in iron and super perfect for summer (it has cooling effect for hot sunny day, served at room temperature). I like preparing it for my keto husband in winter, as he likes it served warm/hot.

Anyhoo….never once occurred to me to ever use purple carrots for sayur bening. Not sure why. I think since regular carrots are always available in the fridge in this house, and definitely no Indonesian I know, used purple carrots in their soup. Come to think of it, am not sure that we have purple carrots in Indonesia. Never seen any.

One day though, we bought a pack of mixed carrots and there they were, purple carrots that I did not feel like steaming or whatever.

So I chopped them off for sayur bening.

And holy moly.

I shrieked.

My clear soup was not clear at all, but purplish.

Like an idiot, it amused me. Reminded me of my cousin, but also upset me that my soup is not “bening”. I could not refer the soup as it should be when using regular carrots.

Regardless the same flavor, it was not appetizing to my eyes. Sayur BENING should have been….bening, CLEAR, you know 🤣

It was just….not pretty 😜😜😜😜

But then I saw no complaints from my boys, they devoured their soups same as when it was made with regular carrots.

All good, I thought.

Until…..I Googled and found the truth.

Yep.

I have been fooled 🤣 Maybe you have been too.

Lemme tell you. Lemme enlighten you my dear friends.

Carrots were originally PURPLE!

Those orange carrots we all know, is not the real color of carrots.

What???!!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯

Yep.

Apparently….the Dutch were responsible for them orange carrots 😁

According to some websites, in 17th century, the Dutch started cultivating yellow and white carrots, and grow them into orange, and a much sweeter carrots too.

My whole life is a lie.

I feel cheated after learning.

🤣😜🤣😜🤣

Did you know about this????

What a rainbow indeed them carrots.

I have tasted the orange, white and purple.

Now I just have to find the yellow, red, and BLACK! Wowzer. That will be some experience too when I finally have it 🤣

Maybe I should plant them in my garden this year 🤔🤔🤔🤔

So tell me. Have you ever seen and tried the other colors of carrots and spinach?

And oh. Here is the super easy Sayur Bening recipe, if you’d like to try. Don’t mind the color, but the flavor 😉

• 1 bag of spinach
• 1 can of peaches and cream corn kernels
• Carrots, slice (3-4 large ones, whichever color lol)
• Enough water
• 4 garlic, thinly sliced
• Sugar and salt to taste (or Vegeta powder for a richer flavor)

Directions

• Bring enough water to boil
• Drop in sliced carrots, cook for 5-8 mins (until tender)

• Drop in garlic slices, followed with spinach and corn. Season.
• Cook for 3-5 mins
• Ready to serve (great with rice! – accompanied with fried tempeh or veggies fritters, tofu fritters)

Thanks for reading!