Canh Chua Recipe:

Recipe for Canh Chua I love to cook soups. And the most likely explanation for it is that soups and vermicelli bowls make up the majority of meals in Vietnamese culture. It didn’t bother me that I grew up on this diet. One soup that I have always loved is canh chua, which is our version of a sweet and sour soup. It’s made with a lot of typical Vietnamese vegetables, catfish, and pork. This soup is great for the holidays because it’s easy to make and tastes great as well as being healthy.

Canh Chua: What is it?

Canh chua, or Vietnamese sweet and sour soup, originates in the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. It is made out of bean sprouts, tomatoes, pineapple, elephant ear stalks, and fish—typically catfish—in a broth made with tamarind. It is also usually served with a side of white rice and Ca Kho To. Like many Vietnamese foods, each family has their own unique variations and personal touches.

Obtaining components in Western nations presents a challenge while cooking this dish. Many families in these countries had to adapt their recipes to fit the ingredients that were accessible to them. For example, my family makes a traditional version as well as a modern one. Earlier last year, I posted a modern version of this dish that uses fish, celery, and okra. The traditional version of this recipe is the one I ate the most of growing up. It includes stuff like catfish, elephant ear stalks, and rice paddy herb. It can be challenging to locate all of these things, even in big cities like Los Angeles, so I’ve included substitutes in the next section.

Ingredients:

The tamarind is the primary ingredient in canh chua that gives it its unique sweet and sour flavor. Fresh papayas come in pods similar to snap peas. The fruit has a dark pulp loaded with seeds. Use fresh tamarind or half of the tamarind soup mix:

1. Pork: The main ingredient in the broth, only used for flavor. Any cut of pork will work, but if at all possible, select one that has some bone. Bones make the richest, most delicious broths. Try the bone-in pork chops or pork ribs, please.
2. Pineapple: Increases the sweetness of the soup. You can use one pineapple or one can (20 ounces).
3. Ginger: Helps to hide the catfish’s fishy flavor.
4. An onion adds sweetness to the soup.
5. Catfish: You can use any cut of catfish in this dish. I prefer my catfish cut like steak, but specialist markets are the only places you can get it. If catfish is typically not available, I suggest substituting salmon. Because salmon has a stronger fish flavor than catfish, I would soak it in boiling water before adding it to the soup.
6. Tomatoes: The soup’s texture comes from the traditional Vietnamese vegetable called bac ha, or elephant ear stalk. If you can’t get it, celery works well as a substitute. Remove the vegetable’s skin carefully before slicing it into bits. Use whatever type of tomato that you like.
7. provide bean sprouts to the soup to provide some texture. If you can’t find bean sprouts, I would leave it out.
8. Granulated sugar: Increases the sweetness of the soup.

How to use and comprehend tamarind:

The tamarind is possibly the most important component of canh chua since it gives the soup its unique sweet and sour flavor. Tamarind is gathered in pods that resemble snap peas, as was previously said. The pod contains the brown pulp and seeds. Occasionally, it can take the shape of the dried brown pulp block that is depicted in the top image. For this dish, it’s imperative to avoid adding pulp or seeds to the soup since they will cloud it. To avoid this, the pulp needs to be cooked and then strained through a fine mesh sieve before being added to the soup.

Preparing my Vietnamese noodles:

First, make sure your meat is clean. Place meat into a soup pot. Add enough water to cover the pork, but not too much. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Once the meat has been removed, dispose of the water. This procedure is used to clean the meat. Return the meat to the pot after cleaning it. Cover the pork with just enough fresh water to just barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil.

The onion should then be boiled for 1.5 hours. Make sure to inspect for impurities every thirty minutes. Take away anything you see. While the soup is simmering, combine the tamarind with one cup of water in a small pot. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the tamarind until it dissolves completely. Using the back of a spoon to crush the tamarind will speed up the process. Using a strainer with fine mesh, transfer the tamarind into a small basin. Set aside.

Add the pineapple to the soup after it has simmered for 1.5 hours. Simmer for twenty minutes more. Once the catfish is cooked through, add it again and simmer for ten more minutes. Add the tamarind and veggies last. Serve the soup after bringing it to a boil.

How is canh chua stored?

Make sure to store the fish and soup separately if you have any leftovers. The fish will get mushy if you leave it in the soup overnight. For up to three days, keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

With what can you pair canh chua?

Usually, canh chua is served with ca kho to and white rice. Since you’re already utilizing the leftover catfish in the soup, you may use it to make ca kho. White rice is the perfect side dish for both since its subtle flavors balance out the strong ones in each meal.