Vietnamese Tamarind Catfish Soup (Canh Chua Ca)
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Vietnamese tamarind catfish soup is a dish you won’t usually find in restaurants in the U.S.
To enjoy it, you’d need to know someone who can whip up traditional Vietnamese home-cooked dishes or make it yourself.
What is Canh Chua Cá?
Canh Chua Cá, or "sour fish soup," is a quintessential Vietnamese soup side dish that accompanies steamed rice.
It’s a fish soup loaded with a variety of colorful vegetables and the tangy kick of tamarind.
To me, it is the epitome of traditional Vietnamese home cooking…a must-have if you love Vietnamese food and the very dish that I missed the most when I moved away from home.
This dish offers a delicate and complex balance of various flavors: tangy, savory, sweet, and (if you like) spicy.
It is probably one of the hardest soups to master as you have to find that perfect balance between all these wonderful flavors.
Make It Your Own
One of the best things about canh chua is that it is extremely versatile.
In this particular recipe, I’m using catfish but you can use other proteins, such as chicken, pork and even tofu for a vegetarian option.
You can also use many different vegetables. Don’t like a vegetable or simply can’t find it? Swap it out for something else.
I generally like to a include a variety of vegetables from each color group to make the soup vibrant and visually appealing.
What You Will Need
To make this particular sour soup, gather the following ingredients:
Keep in mind that a pot of canh chua can easily overflow with all the added vegetables. So make sure to use small quantities of each vegetable and use a pot with extra room.
Catfish (Cá Trê): This freshwater fish is the traditional choice for canh chua. It’s fatty and flavorful. If you can't find catfish, substitute it with easier-to-find salmon, cod, tilapia, or halibut.
Tamarind Pulp (Me Chua): This is the key to the soup’s sour taste. Available in many Asian grocery stores, it comes in various forms such as tamarind soup powder, tamarind concentrate paste, and dried pulp. I prefer using tamarind pulp as it’s the purest form and doesn’t include other ingredients, but tamarind soup powder or concentrate paste are easier alternatives. You can also use lime or lemon juice for the tartness.
Vegetables: I’m using tomatoes (Cà Chua), okra (Đậu Bắp), elephant ear stems (Bạc Hà), bean Sprouts (Giá), and pineapple (Thơm).
Herbs: You can’t have canh chua without a garnish of finely chopped herbs. My favorite is rice paddy herb (Ngò Om). It adds a somewhat citrusy flavor and aroma. I also like culantro/sawtooth herb. These two herbs can be difficult to find unless you have a dedicated Vietnamese grocery store. If you can’t find them, substitute with Thai basil, regular basil, or cilantro.
Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm) and Salt (Muối): Provides umami and a salty depth. Viet Huong Three Crabs fish sauce is my go-to choice. We will use a bit of salt to marinate the fish steaks.
Sugar (Đường): Sugar is needed to balance out the sourness. I’m using granulated cane sugar.
Chicken Bouillon Powder or Mushroom Seasoning (Bột Nêm): Chicken bouillon powder and mushroom seasoning powder enhance the broth’s flavor, making it richer and more authentic, just like mom's cooking. If you don’t have these, you can use a bit of MSG. You can also omit entirely all these seasonings and simply add a bit more salt or fish sauce to taste.
How to Make It
Prepare the broth and tamarind pulp: Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, soak the tamarind pulp in hot water. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to get a smooth paste. Make sure to scrap the bottom of the sieve to get that paste that’s sticking on underside. Set aside.
Prepare fried garlic and pan-fry fish and pineapples: Season fish steaks with salt then set aside. To a small skillet or pan, add oil and freshly minced garlic. Pan fry until it turns a light golden brown color. Remove the fried garlic and leave the aromatic oil in the pan. Add the fish steaks and pan fry in the aromatic oil to build an extra layer of flavor. It doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through. Set the fish aside. Add the pineapples and pan fry those at well. A quick sear on high heat intensifies the pineapple’s flavor. Set aside.
Build the soup: When the pot comes to a boil, add the fish, pineapples, and tamarind pulp. Let it cook together for 10 minutes.
Season the soup: Season the soup with fish sauce, sugar, and chicken bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning powder. Adjust the taste to your preference.
Add the vegetables: Start with the bulkier ones like okra and tomatoes, then add lighter vegetables such as bean sprouts.
Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat. Ladle canh chua into a serving bowl and garnish with finely sliced rice paddy herb, then top with fried garlic and sliced chili peppers if you like it spicy. Serve with steamed rice. You can also serve fish sauce, straight from the bottle, with thinly sliced chili peppers on the side for dipping the fish.
Complete the Meal
Although it’s a complete dish on its own with protein and vegetables, you can add one more side dish for a more satisfying meal:
Vietnamese Tamarind Catfish Soup (Canh Chua Ca)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat water and prepare the tamarind pulp: Add water (4 cups) to a medium pot and bring it to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, soak the tamarind pulp in hot water. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to get a smooth paste. Make sure to scrap the bottom of the sieve to get the paste that’s sticking on the underside. Set aside.
- Prepare fried garlic and pan-fry fish and pineapples: Season fish steaks with salt then set aside. To a medium skillet or pan, add oil and freshly minced garlic. Pan fry until it turns a light golden brown color. Remove the fried garlic and leave the aromatic oil in the pan. Add the fish steaks and pan fry in the aromatic oil to build an extra layer of flavor. It doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through. Set the fish aside. Add the pineapples and pan fry those at well. A quick sear on high heat intensifies the pineapple’s flavor. Set pineapples aside.
- Build the soup: When the pot comes to a boil, add the fish, pineapples, and tamarind pulp. Let it cook together for 10 minutes to get the flavors to meld together.
- Season the soup: Season the soup with fish sauce, sugar, and chicken bouillon powder/mushroom seasoning powder. Adjust the taste to your preference.
- Add the vegetables: Start with the bulkier ones like okra/elephant ear stems and tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes. Add lighter vegetables next, such as bean sprouts. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat. Ladle canh chua into a serving bowl and garnish with finely sliced rice paddy herb, then top with fried garlic and sliced chili peppers if you like it spicy. Serve with steamed rice. You can also serve fish sauce, straight from the bottle, with thinly sliced chili peppers on the side for dipping the fish.
