Any kind of vegetable soup (canh) is a must in Vietnamese home cooking. Canh Dau Hu He is a very simple soup that takes no more than 15 minutes to make. The soup is made of chicken stock, tofu, garlic chives and ground pork. That’s pretty much it. It’s great for when you are super lazy, like me during these cold days when I rather lounge under warm blankets than cook in the kitchen.
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
Vietnamese Tofu and Garlic Chive Soup with Ground Pork (Canh Dau Hu He Nau Thit Bam)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A very simple soup that takes no more than 15 minutes to make. Serve as a side soup in Vietnamese home cooking.
Ingredients
Ground Pork
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 tablespoon chicken stock powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Soup
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves (peel and dice)
- 1 shallot (peel and dice)
- 1 32-oz carton chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1 package soft tofu (drain then cut into small squares)
- 1 bunch garlic chives (remove woody ends and cut into 2-inch pieces)
Instructions
- Season the Pork: Season ground pork with chicken stock powder, sugar, salt and black pepper.
- Cook the Aromatics and Pork: To the bottom of a small pot, heat vegetable oil on medium high heat and fry garlic and shallot until fragrant. Add ground pork and fry for about 5 minutes, breaking up the pork into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Add Stock: Add chicken stock to pot and bring to a boil.
- Season the Broth: Season stock with fish sauce and MSG (optional).
- Cook the Tofu: Add tofu and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Finish with Garlic Chives: Add garlic chives then immediately turn off heat. Serve soup as a side dish to steamed white rice and your favorite Vietnamese meat dish for a complete meal.
Notes
Soft vs. Firm Tofu: Use soft tofu for a silky texture that contrasts nicely with the pork. However, firm tofu can work if you prefer a more substantial bite.
Garlic Chive Substitutes: If you can’t find garlic chives, green onions or Chinese chives make good alternatives.
MSG: This is optional but adds a bit of umami that many Vietnamese soups are known for. Adjust to your taste.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
