“Canh
chua”(literally "sour soup") is indigenous to the Mekong Delta region
but has spreaded widely to other part of the country. It is typically made with
fish from fresh water, pineapple, tomatoes, and sometimes other vegetables such
as okra or peppermint, and bean sprouts, in a tamarind-flavored broth. Canh
chua is garnished with the lemony-scented herb “ngò ôm” (Limnophila aromatica),
caramelized garlic, and chopped scallions, as well as other herbs to lessen the
strong flavour of fresh fish. Depending on the specific variety of “canh
chua"; these other herbs may include” rau răm” (Vietnamese coriander),
“ngò gai “(long coriander), and” rau quế” (Thai basil)
The sour taste of the soup can come
from various sources such as pickled vegetables, fresh fruits like tamarind,
sour leaves or vinegar. They are mixed
with a small amount of hot water; the mixture is then stirred for a few moments
to release all the essence, and the liquid (minus the fruit seeds and other
solids, which are discarded) is then added to the soup.
There are many types of “canh chua”
but the idea are similar. Some Canh chua can include baby clams or ribs instead
of fish or meat balls. Canh chua is best served cool during the over-heated
summer of Vietnam.
Indian
taro cooked with mullet (Canh dọc mùng nấu cá quả)
Preparation:
In preparation stage, we choose
required ingredients including: mullet, a bunch of Indian taro, tomatoes,
onion, red chilli, tamarind, dill, a spoonful vinegar, “nước mắm”, salt and
pepper. Fish is washed carefully with salt water and vinegar then chopped into
several small chunks. Indian taro is peeled, carefully washed, sliced into
small pieces, soaked in salt water for 30 minutes and then pressed to remove
resin. Tamarind is peeled and thinly sliced.
Cooking:
Firstly, fish is fried until its
colour changes into yellow. Afterwards, we mash spring onion and chilli
together using a mortar and pestle or blend them with a blender. Then we heat
oil and stir fry mashed spring onion and chilli mixture in the pot until
fragrant. After that, we add slices of
tomatoes, a little “nước mắm” and cook until fragrant and soft. In the next
step, we add fried fish and a desirable amount of water into the pot. Tamarind
is then added. If you want more sour taste, you can always add some vinegar
later.
The deep skillet is boiled for 30
minutes, until bubbly before Indian taro is added. Finally, we add dill and
green onion to garnish. This type of canh chua is best served with fresh
lettuce or steamed rice.
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