December 13, 2019

Canh Chua

Canh Chua

This week I’m sharing another classic weekday dish from my household growing up: Canh Chua (‘sour soup’). My mom probably cooked this dish weekly when I was younger, often changing up the protein (fish, shrimp, fish cake) and veggies but always with pretty much the same soup base. With the encouragement of both my mom and aunt, I decided to take on this recipe and am able to confirm: this dish is SUPER simple!

However, here’s the catch: the ingredients were not easy to come by. I went to 2 different Asian grocery stores in my area and then had to ask my cousin to stop by one more in order to get the key ingredients (still at least one ingredient we both couldn’t locate). Also, the kids weren’t fans. At all. They took one spoonful and refused to finish the rest. We adults did enjoy and my cousin confirmed that the flavor profile was spot on so I’m positive this was a good dish in spite of the littles’ rejection!

Special ingredients for soup base: veggie seasoning, rock candy, tamarind powder. The veggie seasoning is German and unavailable in the US but this alternative is available at World Market.
Pineapple and elephant ear which I found at the second grocery stop.
Rice paddy herb (ngo om)
The hard to come by rice paddy herb (ngo om): my aunt claims this is the key ingredient. While the herb gives the soup its distinct flavor, it also tastes just fine without.

It might be a few months before I try this one again (those kids aren’t totally getting off the hook) but still highly recommending this recipe to anyone who wants an incredibly simple rendition of a classic Vietnamese soup.

Print Recipe

Canh Chua (Vietnamese Sour Soup)

This is the exact recipe shared by my aunt, Chef Teresa. The serving size is meant for 4 as a main dish (typically served with rice noodles). However, we normally eat this at home as a side dish accompanied by another main protein dish and rice. In this case, I recommend cutting the recipe in half. Otherwise, you will have plenty of leftovers.
If marination is done ahead of time, this dish can be pulled together in 30 minutes, including all other prep work.
Cook Time30 mins
Marination30 mins
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs Halibut cut into 1.5 inch pieces Sub: Red Snapper, Catfish, Shrimp
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1/2 pineapple, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 bag bean sprouts
  • 2 stems elephant ear, sliced diagonally
  • 10 okra, cut in half diagonally
  • 1 handful Rice Paddy Herb (Ngo Om), chopped for garnish
  • 1 bulb green onion, chopped for garnish
  • fried garlic for garnish Sub: fried shallots

Soup

  • 6 cups water some of this can be substituted with chicken broth for richer flavor (e.g. 3 cups chicken broth, 3 cups water)
  • 1 tbsp tamarind powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp rock sugar (cubed)
  • 2 tbsp veggie seasoning

Instructions

  • Marinate fish with 3 tablespoons fish sauce and crushed black pepper. Set aside for at least 1/2 hour
  • Prep veggies while fish marinates
  • Combine broth ingredients, bring to a boil, then lower to medium heat.
  • Cook fish in broth 3-5 minutes but do NOT add marinated fish sauce. Remove fish from broth and set aside.
  • Increase heat to boil. Add pineapple, tomatoes, okra and cook for 3 minutes. Add elephant ear and bean sprouts; cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust broth seasoning as needed.
  • Add fish back. Garnish with green onion, rice paddy herb, fried garlic or shallots and serve.
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Filed Under: Recipes