Description
A light vegetable soup that’s great for dinner with steamed rice. Yummy, squishy sponge gourd and savory dried shrimp, full of umami, come together in this quick and traditional soup. It’s the perfect accompaniment in a Vietnamese family meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1.5 oz dried shrimp (about 1/2 cup, rinse and drain)
- 2 sponge gourd (about 10 oz, peel and cut into chunks)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 small shallot (peel and mince)
- 2 garlic cloves (peel and mince)
- 2 green onions (slice thin, whites separated)
- 1 1/2 quarts water
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast aromatics: Start by heating the oil in a pot on medium high. Sauté minced shallot, garlic, and whites of green onions until fragrant (about 20 seconds). Add the dried shrimp and stir for about a minute to bring out their aroma and flavor.
- Make the broth: Pour in water and bring it to a boil (about 7 minutes). Add the sponge gourd. Let it cook until soft and tender (about 5 minutes).
- Finish: Season the soup with fish sauce, salt, bouillon powder, and sugar. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper and top it with reserved green part of the green onions. Serve immediately for best results with steamed rice, and other protein side dishes for a complete meal or enjoy it on its own.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese