Vietnamese Canh Chua Soup (Printable)

Vibrant tangy-sweet Vietnamese soup with fish, pineapple, tomatoes and fresh herbs for a refreshing aromatic meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1.1 pounds white fish fillets (catfish, tilapia, or basa), cut into chunks
02 - 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
04 - 1 small pineapple, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
05 - 5.3 ounces bean sprouts
06 - 5.3 ounces okra, sliced
07 - 2 stalks celery or elephant ear stem, sliced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
10 - 2 birds eye chilies, sliced

→ Broth & Seasonings

11 - 6.3 cups water or fish stock
12 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce
13 - 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
14 - 1 tablespoon sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon salt
16 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs

17 - 0.7 ounces fresh Thai basil leaves
18 - 0.7 ounces sawtooth coriander, chopped
19 - 0.35 ounces fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat a splash of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté garlic and onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
02 - Add water or fish stock to the pot. Stir in tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil.
03 - Add pineapple, tomatoes, okra, celery, and chilies. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
04 - Gently add fish chunks and shrimp. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until seafood is just cooked through.
05 - Add bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce, sugar, or lime juice to balance flavors.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in Thai basil, sawtooth coriander, and cilantro.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with extra herbs and lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The balance of sweet pineapple and tangy tamarind creates this incredible harmony that wakes up your entire palate
  • Its one of those soups that feels light and refreshing but still satisfies completely
  • The fresh herbs at the end transform everything突然 bright and alive
02 -
  • The key to this soup is tasting constantly—that sweet sour balance is personal and changes based on your ingredients
  • Never boil the seafood aggressively or itll turn rubbery and sad, gentle simmer only
  • The herbs go in last, absolutely no exceptions or you lose what makes this special
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables before you start cooking once the broth is going, everything happens fast
  • If your pineapple isnt sweet enough, add an extra half tablespoon of sugar
  • The elephant ear stem (bạc hà) is worth hunting down at Asian markets it adds this unique spongy texture

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