Yoribang
SoupVietnameseFree to use

Canh Chua (Sour Soup)

Canh chua

A sweet, sour, and savory tamarind soup with fish, pineapple, tomato, and herbs.

Serves 4

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

Canh Chua (Sour Soup)
Photo: Jason Hutchens, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Ingredients

  • 6 cups water or fish stock
  • 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 lb white fish fillets, cut in chunks
  • 2 tomatoes, cut in wedges
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1/2 cup rice paddy herb or cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red chili, sliced

Steps

  1. Step 1. Bring the water, tamarind, fish sauce, and sugar to a simmer for 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2. Add the tomatoes, pineapple, and celery and cook for 3 minutes.

  3. Step 3. Add the fish and simmer for 5 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.

  4. Step 4. Add the sprouts and take off the heat. Fry the garlic in a spoon of oil and pour it over. Top with herbs and chili.

Where this recipe comes from

Yoribang Vietnamese recipes by Yoribang. License: Free to use. View the original (opens in a new tab)

Original Yoribang write-ups of Vietnamese dishes. Fish sauce, rice noodles, rice paper, and fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and Thai basil are sold at Asian grocery stores. Vietnamese cooking balances sweet, salty, sour, and spicy, so taste your sauces and adjust.