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Canh Chua - Vietnamese Sweet And Sour Soup Recipe

Vietnamese Sweet And Sour Soup (Canh Chua)

Vietnamese sweet and 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
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 494kcal

Ingredients

  • 2.2 pounds (1 kg) carp

Vegetables:

  • 0.66 pounds (300 grams) of bean sprouts
  • 0.55 pounds (250 grams) okra
  • 0.44 pounds (200 grams) mushrooms
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 0.25 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 (100 grams) tamarind
  • 0.15 pounds (70 grams) of shallot and garlic, minced
  • Olive oil

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.
    Add The Bean Sprouts Culantro Rice Paddy Herb
  • Season to taste if needed. Enjoy!

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