Vietnamese Sweet & Sour Tamarind Soup with Salmon (Canh Chua Cá Hồi)

A typical homecooked Vietnamese meal is incomplete without soup. There are many soups in Vietnamese cooking that are served as a side dish to steamed rice. Some are mild in flavor like chayote squash soup with minced shrimp (canh su su nau tom bam) or pork spare rib soup with potatoes, carrots and cauliflower (canh suon khoa tay). Others are bold in flavors such as Vietnamese sweet and sour soup (canh chua).

Vietnamese sweet and sour soup (canh chua) is typically made with fish but you can also use shrimp, pork, chicken and even tofu. These proteins are cooked with loads of fresh and colorful vegetables in a sweet tamarind-flavored broth.

Typical vegetables for this soup include pineapples, Indian taro stems, okra, bean sprouts and tomatoes. But there is no set rule. Simply use your favorite combination of vegetables or whatever you have on hand.

What’s equally important is the garnish. I must have fried garlic, sliced fresh chili peppers and at least one of the following: Thai basil, cilantro, culantro (ngo gai) or rice paddy herbs (ngo om). The last two are harder to find but if you can get your hands on those, the amazing aroma and exotic flavor is worth the hunt.

In this particular recipe, I’m making sweet and sour soup with salmon fillets, Indian taro stems, tomatoes, and enoki mushroom, all garnished with fried garlic and sliced Thai Basil. Everything comes together in under 30 minutes. Recipe below. Enjoy!