When eating a Vietnamese rice dinner, it’s not a complete meal unless you have a soup side dish, also known as Canh.In fact, my dad will not eat a rice dinner without it. I find it burdensome to have to quickly make Canh whenever he comes over for dinner or deal with the constant grumbling. Fortunately, Canh can be quickly whipped up with whatever protein and vegetables you have on hand. One of the quickest and simplest Canh is ground pork with cabbage. It can, however, look dull in a bowl. To fancy it up, I would stuff cabbage leaves with ground pork and tie it with a green onion, making cute little packages of savory goodness. The taste is the same whether I stuff the cabbage or not, but it makes a pretty presentation. It requires a little bit more labor but it’s a great way to fish for the needed compliments once in awhile.
Serve this traditional soup with steamed rice and other side dishes for a complete Vietnamese family meal.
Related Post: The Guide to Cooking Perfectly Steamed Rice: Asian Kid Edition
Other Soups You May Enjoy
- Cabbage and Shrimp Soup
- Kabocha Squash Soup with Chicken
- Pork Spare Rib Soup with Opo Squash
- Kabocha Pumpkin Soup with Minced Shrimp
Popular Pork Dishes to Complete the Meal
- Quick & Easy Vietnamese Caramelized Ground Pork Rice Bowls
- Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Spare Ribs
- Lazy Pan-Fried Lemongrass Pork Ribs with Sweet & Savory Glaze
- Easy Chinese-Style Soy Sauce Braised Pork Ribs
Vietnamese Stuffed Cabbage Soup (Canh Bap Cai Cuon Thit)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 5 Servings 1x
Description
A Vietnamese rice meal isn’t complete without a soup, or Canh. One of the easiest is ground pork with cabbage, but to elevate it, I stuff cabbage leaves with pork and tie them with green onions. The taste is the same, but the presentation is prettier—perfect for impressing guests!
Ingredients
- 1 small head cabbage
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 8–10 green onions (finely mince up 3 green onions)
- 1/4 cup dried Woodear Mushrooms (re-hydrate in water, drain then mince finely)
- 1 large shallot (peel then mince finely)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 6 cups water for soup
- 1 tablespoon chicken or mushroom bouillon powder
Instructions
- Prep the cabbage: Slice the cabbage in half. Remove the core at the end. Bring a small pot of water to a boil then blanch cabbage halves and whole green onions for 30 seconds. The hot water will soften up the cabbage and green onions for easier handling. Drain content into a colander and slowly peel the whole leaves from the cabbage.
- Make the filling: Combine ground pork with minced green onions, Woodear mushrooms, shallot, salt and pepper.
- Assemble the cabbage rolls: Wrap about 2 tablespoons of ground pork into each cabbage leaf, tying each one up with a blanched green onion.
- Cook the soup: Bring a small stock pot to a boil with 6 cups water. Add stuffed cabbage. Turn the heat to low and lightly simmer for 30 minutes. Remove any scums that float to the top.
- Season & Serve: Season with bouillon powder.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Similar Recipes:
Vietnamese Chayote Squash Soup with Ground Pork (Canh Su Su Nấu Thịt Băm)
Vietnamese Pork Spare Rib Soup with Potatoes, Carrots and Cauliflower (Canh Suon Khoai Tay Ca Rot Bong Cai Trang)
Vietnamese Luffa Gourd Soup with Ground Pork (Canh Mướp Thịt Băm)
Vietnamese Tofu and Garlic Chive Soup with Ground Pork (Canh Dau Hu He Nau Thit Bam)