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Canh Chua (Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Soup)

Sweet, sour, and packed with so many fresh flavors, canh chua is Vietnamese comfort food at its best. This Vietnamese sweet-and-sour soup features fresh fish, pineapple, tomatoes, and vegetables.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Vietnamese
Keyword canh chua, canh chua ca, fish sour soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 334kcal
Author Megan

Equipment

Ingredients

Tamarind

Soup

  • 1 large shallot minced
  • ¼ pineapple cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 liters water
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3-4 tablespoons sugar to taste
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 catfish about 1 lb, sliced into steaks rinsed
  • 3 Roma tomatoes quartered
  • 1 cup okra stems removed, sliced into bite sized pieces
  • 1 stalk elephant ear stem bac ha, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • ½ cup rice paddy herb ngo om chopped
  • ½ cup sawtooth coriander or ngo gai or culantro, chopped

Garnish

  • Fresno Chilis

Instructions

  • Create tamarind concentrate. Mix the tamarind paste with 1/2 cup of boiling water and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then mash thoroughly and strain through a fine mesh sieve, scraping as much tamarind as possible. Discard the pulp and seeds.
  • Sauté aromatics and pineapple. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Then sauté the shallots until lightly browned and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the pineapple and sauté for 30-60 seconds.
  • Cook the soup. Then add the water, tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, sugar, and chicken bouillon powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes.
  • Add the catfish and veggies. Then add the catfish and cook for 5 minutes, skimming away any foam that floats to the surface. Next, add the tomatoes, okra, and elephant ear stem and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Lastly, turn off the heat, add the bean sprouts, rice paddy herb, and sawtooth coriander, and stir for 30-60 seconds or until just softened.
  • Serve. Garnish with Fresno chilis and serve with a bowl of steamed white rice. Enjoy!

Notes

See the Expert Tips section for more guidance.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 1450mg | Potassium: 1212mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 732IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg