Tamarind Snake-Headed Mullet Soup (Canh Chua Ca Loc) |
|||||||||
| Servings | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories | Saturated Fat | Fat | Sodium | Carbohydrates | Protein | Cholesterol |
| INGREDIENTS: | ||
| 1 pound snake-headed mullet | 4 cups fish stock | 1/4 pineapple, peeled and sliced |
| 1/4 cup sliced mint leaves | 1 small red chili, seeded and sliced | 2 pieces okra (lady's fingers), sliced |
| 1/2 cup sliced taro stem | 1/4 cup tamarind pulp | 1/4 cup bean sprouts |
| 1 tomato, cut into wedges | salt | pepper |
| 3 tablespoons fish sauce | 1 tablespoon sugar | 2 tablespoons fried shallots |
| 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves | 1 tablespoon chopped rau ram (polygonum) leaves | 1 tablespoon chopped ngo gai (saw-leaf herb) leaves |
| freshly ground pepper | ||
| 1 | Blanch fish for about 5 minutes in boiling stock, then remove from the heat and strain, keeping both the stock and the fish. |
| 2 | In a large pan, bring stock to boil again. Add the pineapple, mint, chili, okra and taro. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, then add the tamarind pulp, bean sprouts and tomato. Bring to a boil again. Skim the top and season with salt, pepper, fish sauce and sugar. Place a portion of the fish in a soup bowl, spoon in a ladle of stock and garnish with fried shallots, cilantro, rau ram and ngo gai leaves. Finish with freshly ground pepper. |
| 3 | HELPFUL HINTS: The leaves are used here to help mellow the flavor of the snake-headed mullet. Any firm-textured fish is a good substitute. |