Name: Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Shrimp Soup with Pineapple (Canh Chua Tom Nau Thom)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 6 extra-large whole shrimp (head-on, tail-on); 1 teaspoon sea salt; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 4 garlic cloves; 32 oz chicken broth (see notes); 30 grams tamarind pulp; 2 teaspoons fish sauce; 1 teaspoon MSG (optional); 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 5 oz okra; 5 oz pineapple; 1 large tomato; 2 tablespoons minced rice paddy herbs, Thai basil, culantro or cilantro; Thai chili pepper (optional)

Description

A shrimp-based soup with a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs to produce contrasting yet complementary textures and flavors. Sweet, savory, sour, and spicy, this soup is the epitome of Vietnamese home cooking.

Ingredients

Units Scale

6 extra-large whole shrimp (head-on, tail-on)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves
32 oz chicken broth (see notes)
30 grams tamarind pulp
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 oz okra
5 oz pineapple
1 large tomato
2 tablespoons minced rice paddy herbs, Thai basil, culantro or cilantro
Thai chili pepper (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the ingredients: Devein the shrimp by inserting a toothpick underneath the vein and between the shells. Pull up to remove. Give the shrimp a quick rinse, if needed. Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves. Cut the pineapples into small bite-size chunks. If using large okra, halve at a diagonal. Otherwise, leave okra whole. Quarter the tomatoes. Set everything aside.
Pan fry aromatics: In a medium pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Set aside half of the fried garlic for garnish. Add chicken stock to the pot with the remaining garlic and bring the pot to a boil.
Tamarind: Add tamarind pulp to a mesh strainer and lower it into the stockpot. Use the back of a spoon to help push the pulp through the strainer. Discard remains.
Season stock: Add salt, fish sauce, optional MSG and sugar (a little at a time) to taste.
Shrimp and vegetables: Add shrimp. When shrimp start to turn color, add okra and pineapple. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add tomatoes and immediately turn off the heat.
Garnish and serve: Garnish soup with fried garlic from earlier, Thai chili peppers, and either rice paddy herbs, Thai basil, culantro, or cilantro. Serve with steamed rice and one of the following traditional Vietnamese protein dishes for a complete meal.

Notes

If you don’t chicken stock, substitute with same amount of water and add 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese