Canh chua facts for kids
A bowl of Canh chua
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| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Vietnam |
| Region or state | Mekong Delta |
| Main ingredients | Fish, pineapple, tomatoes, sometimes other vegetables, bean sprouts, tamarind-flavored broth |
| Similar dishes | Samlar machu |
Canh chua (which means "sour soup" in Vietnamese) is a yummy Vietnamese soup. It comes from the Mekong Delta area in Southern Vietnam. This soup is famous for its special sour taste.
It's usually made with fish from the Mekong River Delta. Other main ingredients include pineapple, tomatoes, and bean sprouts. Sometimes, other vegetables like okra are added too. The soup gets its sour flavor from a tamarind-flavored broth.
To make it even tastier, Canh chua is often topped with fresh herbs. These can include lemony ngò ôm and chopped scallions. Sometimes, people add caramelized garlic for extra flavor. You can eat this soup by itself, with white rice, or with thin rice vermicelli noodles.
The sour taste in the soup comes from tamarind. Tamarind is a fruit that grows in pods. To use it, a small amount of tamarind is mixed with hot water. This helps release its strong, tangy flavor. Then, the liquid is added to the soup, but the seeds and other solid parts are removed.
When Canh chua is served like a hot pot (where you cook ingredients at the table), it's called lẩu canh chua.
Contents
Different Kinds of Canh Chua
There are many different ways to make Canh chua. The most common type uses tamarind for its sourness. Here are some popular variations:
Canh Chua with Fish
Many Canh chua soups are made with different kinds of fish.
- Canh chua cá: This is a general term for Canh chua made with fish.
- Canh chua cá lóc: Made with a type of fish called snakehead fish.
- Canh chua cá hồi: This version uses salmon.
- Canh cải chua cá: This one includes pickled mustard greens along with fish.
Canh Chua with Other Meats
Besides fish, Canh chua can also be made with other meats.
- Canh chua tôm: This version uses prawns or shrimp.
- Canh chua tôm rau muống: Made with shrimp and water spinach, a leafy green vegetable.
- Canh chua gà: This soup is made with chicken.
- Canh chua lá giang gà: Chicken is cooked with special Aganonerion polymorphum leaves, which add a unique sour taste.
Vegetarian Canh Chua
Yes, there's even a vegetarian version!
- Canh chua chay: This means "vegetarian sour soup."
- Canh chua đậu hũ: This vegetarian soup uses tofu instead of meat or fish.
Canh Chua with Pickled Vegetables
Some types of Canh chua use pickled ingredients.
- Canh chua măng: Made with pickled bamboo shoots.
- Canh cải chua: This type uses pickled mustard greens.
- Canh cải chua thịt bằm: Made with pickled mustard greens and ground pork.
Other Varieties
- Canh chua Thái: This is a Vietnamese version that's inspired by Thai tom yum soup.
Images for kids
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Learn more about Canh chua for kids in Spanish!
