Description
A hearty and comforting chayote squash soup, featuring ground pork but feel free to substitute with your ground meat of choice. This quick and easy soup complements steamed rice and other side dishes in a traditional Vietnamese family-style meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Soup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small shallot (minced)
- 1 1/2 quarts water
- 1 1/2 lbs chayote (peel, sliced into matchsticks)
- 8 oz ground pork or ground meat of choice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
Garnishes (Optional)
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Cilantro
- Fried shallots
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast aromatics: In a medium-sized stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the garlic and shallots. Sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add ground pork: Add ground pork and pan fry with the aromatics for about 3 minutes while breaking it into small chunks.
- Add water: Carefully pour in the water. Be careful of hot oil splatters. Bring the pot to a boil.
- Add chayote: Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chayote squash. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chayote is tender.
- Season to taste: Season the soup to taste with sugar, fish sauce, sea salt, and MSG (if using).
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, green onions, fried shallots, and a sprinkle of ground black pepper. Serve with rice and be happy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: asian, vietnamese