Vietnamese Sour Soup (Canh Chua)
Canh Chua is an iconic Vietnamese Sour Soup, loved for its broth that's sweetened by pineapple and garnished with fresh herbs!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 kg / 2.2 lb fish ((we used grouper steaks descaled by the fish monger))
- 200 g / 0.44 lb pineapple
- 200 g / 0.44 lb okra
- 150 g / 0.33 lb bean sprouts
- 200 g / 0.44 lb elephant ear plant ((bạc hà a.k.a. taro stems))
- 3 tomato
- 4 cloves garlic ((finely chopped))
- paddy herb ((for garnishing))
- sawtooth coriander ((or garnishing))
- cooking oil
- 2 1/2 L / 10.5 US cup water
- 3 tbsp tamarind soup base powder ((or to taste))
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 4 1/2 tbsp sugar ((or to taste))
- 6 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 cloves garlic ((finely chopped))
- cooking oil
Instructions
- 1
Heat up a pot of water and bring it to a boil.
- 2
Meanwhile, add 3 tbsp oil to a saucepan and brown the garlic on low heat for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside for later.
- 3
With the water boiling, season it with the tamarind powder, chicken bouillon powder, sugar and fish sauce. Bring the heat to a simmer as you prepare the fresh ingredients.
- 4
Chop the pineapple into 4cm (1.6") long chunks.
- 5
Cut the elephant ear plants into 4cm (1.6") long segments by slicing diagonally.
- 6
Cut the okra in half using a diagonal slice.
- 7
Cut the tomatoes into thick wedges.
- 8
Finely chop the rice paddy herb and sawtooth coriander.
- 9
Heat up a wok on high heat and add 4 tbsp oil in. Lower the heat to medium and brown the garlic for 30 seconds.
- 10
Turn the heat back to high and add the fish steaks in to sear on both sides for 3 minutes each side.
- 11
Bring the pot of seasoned water back to a boil and pour the fish and garlic in.
- 12
Add the pineapple, elephant ear plant, okra, tomatoes and browned garlic to simmer for 10 minutes.
- 13
Serve as is garnished with fried garlic, rice paddy herb and sawtooth coriander. Pour a small dish of fish sauce to use as a dip!