After not seeing my Mom for four years, I invited her to visit my home in Arizona. She asked me if there was any particular dishes I craved while she was over and I requested canh chua. Or the direct translation–soup sour. This soup isn’t just sour, it’s sweet, savory, sour, and very light. It was a very comforting dish of my childhood when my mom use to cook frequently.
All my aunts had different strengths in their cooking and my Mom’s strength was this soup, pho, and braised meats.
If you enjoy flavors like tom yum, you will love this soup.
Canh chua is a Vietnamese sour soup packed with vegetables and highly customizable to your preference.
Wash all of your vegetables and set it aside.
With a dull knife (Ex. butter knife), cut at the base of the elephant ear plant. Then grip onto the cut and pull it upwards to peel it. Repeat all around and cut straight down the curve of the stem. Cut this about 1/4 in. thick and set aside.
Cut the Garland Chrysanthemum into 3 in. pieces and the okra into 1 in. pieces. Set them aside.
Cut the tomato into eighths, so cut it half and take out the stem. And cut it half again twice to result in 8 pieces. Set it aside.
Mince the garlic and cut the fish into small pieces and set them aside.
.In a medium size pot, place it on the stove on medium heat and let it come up to temperature. Add oil and garlic and mix until golden.
Pour in the water and mix in the tamarind puree, fish sauce, mushroom seasoning, and half the can of pineapple juice. Put a lid on and let it come to a simmer.
Add in all of your vegetables and mix it. Let it come to a simmer again.
Mix salt and fish into the soup and let it simmer for 6-10 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
Turn off the stove, serve the soup over white rice, and enjoy!