Beef and Amaranth Stem Soup

IF YOU WANT TO FIND AMARANTH STEMS AT YOUR LOCAL MARKET, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALSO KNOWN AS CHINESE SPINACH, AFRICAN SPINACH OR INDIAN SPINACH - THE VIETNAMESE DON’T CLAIM IT TO BE THEIRS. THERE ARE MANY VARIETIES OF AMARANTH, BUT GO FOR THE THICK-STEMMED ONES WITH RED AND GREEN LEAVES. THE STEMS TASTE SIMILAR TO ARTICHOKE, WHILE THE LEAVES TASTE LIKE SPINACH.