Vietnamese Fishermans Soup Recipes

VIETNAMESE SWEET & SOUR SOUP (CANH CHUA)

Steps:

• Add pork to a large soup pot. Cover with water until it just covers the pork. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Take out the pork and then throw away the water. This process cleans the pork. Rinse the pot and add the pork back. Cover the pork with fresh water until it just covers the meat. Bring to a boil.
• Add the onion and simmer for 1.5 hours. Make sure to check every 30 minutes for impurities. Scoop away any you see.
• While the soup is simmering, combine 1 cup of water and tamarind in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until the tamarind dissolves.You can help speed up the process by using the back of a spoon to crush the tamarind. Pour the tamarind through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
• After simmering the soup for 1.5 hours, add the pineapple and ginger to the soup. Simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Put the catfish in and simmer for another 10 minutes until it is cooked through.
• Lastly, add the vegetables and tamarind from step 3. Bring the soup to a boil and serve with a side of white rice. Make sure to taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt if it tastes bland.

VIETNAMESE SOUR SOUP (CANH CHUA)

Steps:

• Heat up a pot of water and bring it to a boil.
• Meanwhile, add 3 tbsp oil to a saucepan and brown the garlic on low heat for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside for later.
• With the water boiling, season it with the tamarind powder, chicken bouillon powder, sugar and fish sauce. Bring the heat to a simmer as you prepare the fresh ingredients.
• Chop the pineapple into 4cm (1.6") long chunks.
• Cut the elephant ear plants into 4cm (1.6") long segments by slicing diagonally.
• Cut the okra in half using a diagonal slice.
• Cut the tomatoes into thick wedges.
• Finely chop the rice paddy herb and sawtooth coriander.
• Heat up a wok on high heat and add 4 tbsp oil in. Lower the heat to medium and brown the garlic for 30 seconds.
• Turn the heat back to high and add the fish steaks in to sear on both sides for 3 minutes each side.
• Bring the pot of seasoned water back to a boil and pour the fish and garlic in.
• Add the pineapple, elephant ear plant, okra, tomatoes and browned garlic to simmer for 10 minutes.
• Serve as is garnished with fried garlic, rice paddy herb and sawtooth coriander. Pour a small dish of fish sauce to use as a dip!

VIETNAMESE FISHERMAN'S SOUP

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium pot.
• Using a strainer with a long handle, blanch all seafood for about 10-20 seconds (this removes impurities and keeps the chicken stock clear when you add the seafood later); set seafood aside.
• Discard water and wipe the pot dry; add the oil and heat over moderate heat; add the chili paste and garlic and allow to sizzle until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil; add the seafood, tomatoes, pineapple, onion, fish sauce, sugar, salt, tamarind and lime juice; cook until seafood is just done, about 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add bean sprouts and herbs; garnish with fried shallots and serve piping hot.
• Fried shallots: line a cookie sheet with paper towels and spread thinly sliced shallots on top (use about a cup of shallots); let sit for 15-20 minutes to air dry (makes the shallots crispier); heat the oil in a skillet over low heat; add the shallots and and stir them so they don't tangle; fry the shallots until golden, about 5 minutes and with a slotted spoon, remove and drain them on paper towels.
• When shallots are cool, transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and they'll keep at room temperature for 2 weeks.