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Canh Chua - Vietnamese Sweet And Sour Soup Recipe

Canh Chua Recipe (Vietnamese Sour Soup)

Canh chua, or Vietnamese sour soup, is a delectable and simple-to-make soup that you wouldn't want to miss. Give this recipe a try, and I'm sure you'll fall in love with it immediately.
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Canh Chua, Vietnamese Sour Soup
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Dietary Preference: Dairy-Free, Gluten-free
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 494kcal

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Ladle
  • Tongs
  • Knife
  • Chopping Board

Ingredients

  • 2.2 pounds carp

Vegetables:

  • 0.66 pounds of bean sprouts
  • 0.55 pounds okra
  • 0.44 pounds mushrooms
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1/4 pineapple
  • 2 petioles of Indian taro, dill, culantro (sawleaf), rice paddy herb
  • 1 piece of ginger, galangal

Spices:

  • 5 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons soup powder
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 0.22 pounds tamarind
  • 0.15 pounds of shallot and garlic, minced
  • Olive oil
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Wash the vegetables and leave them to dry.
    Wash the carp, then cut across its head and tail and remove the white veins. Make diagonal cuts on the 2 sides of the carp.
    Wash The Carp
  • Cut off the thicker end (stem) of the okra. Cut the Indian taro and pineapple into pieces. Cut the tomatoes into wedges.
    Mince the dill and culantro, keeping the dill roots. Slice the ginger and galangal.
    Cut The Indian Taro And Pineapple
  • Soak the tamarind in warm water and gently stir them with a spoon to extract the juice.
    Soak The Tamarind
  • Fry the carp until golden on both sides with a few slices of garlic and shallots. Set aside.
    Carp With Some Slices Of Garlic
  • Saute the minced shallots and garlic. Add the tomatoes and pineapple and stir-fry them briefly. Add the dill roots, ginger, and galangal to the pot and stir well.
    Pour in about 1.5 quarts of water and season with fish sauce, brown sugar, soup powder, salt, and tamarind water.
    Saute The Minced Shallots And Garlic
  • When the soup comes to a boil, add the fish and cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.
    Soup Comes Toboil Add The Fish
  • After 10 to 15 minutes, add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 more minutes.
    Add The Mushrooms Continue Cooking
  • Put the okra and Indian taro into the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
    Put The Okra And Indian Taro Into
  • Add the bean sprouts, culantro, rice paddy herb, and dill. Season to taste if needed. Enjoy!
    Add The Bean Sprouts Culantro Rice Paddy Herb

Video

Notes

  • Serve the soup warm with rice or vermicelli noodles or on its own.
  • Prepare a bowl of fish sauce added with a few chili slices and lemon juice for dipping the fish.
  • Besides carp, you can use shrimp, pork, or catfish to make this soup.
  • Replace water with chicken or vegetable stock for extra flavor.
  • Canned pineapple is a viable alternative to fresh ones.
  • If you can't find fresh tamarind, use tamarind soup mix instead.
  • The total time is for preparing 4 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1899mg | Potassium: 1745mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1159IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 6mg