Canh Rau Den / Vietnamese Red Amaranth Soup
Cozy Vietnamese Canh Rau Dền made with tender amaranth greens and homemade shrimp balls. A comforting brothy soup perfect with a bowl of rice.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 5 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 Quarts Water
- 1 Bundle Red Amaranth
- 1/4 cup Dried Shrimp
- 1 tbsp Shallot, Minced
- 1 tbsp Garlic, Minced
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp MSG
- 3 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Oil
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 1 lb Shrimp
- 1 Stalk Green Onion, Chopped
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1/4 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
- Green Onions
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- 1
Prep work:
- 2
Prepare the amaranth by separating the stems, trimming off any tough ends, and cutting the leaves and stems into smaller pieces. Wash thoroughly until the water runs clear
- 3
Finely dice a small shallot, mince garlic, and finely chop green onions, and then set aside
- 4
Build the Broth:
- 5
Soak dried shrimp in water for about ten minutes. Then discard the liquid
- 6
Heat a splash of oil in a large pot. Sauté the shallot and garlic until fragrant. Add the rehydrated dried shrimp and cook for one minute
- 7
Pour in four quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim off any impurities. Add the amaranth greens and season with sugar, fish sauce, and MSG
- 8
Make the Shrimp Balls:
- 9
Chop cleaned and deveined shrimp until they form a loose paste. Add chopped green onions, minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Continue chopping and folding until it becomes a rough paste
- 10
Using two spoons, scoop and drop small portions of the shrimp mixture into the simmering soup. Cook until the shrimp balls float
- 11
Serve:
- 12
Ladle the soup over rice or serve it on the side. Garnish with green onions and fresh ground black pepper. Enjoy.