Mai Loan Basss Vietnamese Sweet And Sour Soup Food

VIETNAMESE SWEET AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Bring water or chicken stock* to a boil.
• Add tomato, pineapple juice and pineapple chunks and reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add shrimp, optional chili, lemon, sugar, and fish sauce and simmer 3-5 minutes or until shrimp is cooked.
• Add okra, bean sprouts and recao. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Salt to taste and garnish with scallions and cilantro.

VIETNAMESE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring broth, lemongrass, mushrooms, and onion to a boil.
• Add shrimp, fish sauce and lime juice to the pot.
• Cook until shrimp is opaque (1 - 2 minutes).
• Add rice noodles and heat another minute.
• Serve in soup bowls with garnishes as desired.

VIETNAMESE SWEET & SOUR SHRIMP SOUP WITH PINEAPPLE (CANH CHUA TOM NAU THOM)

Steps:

• Prep the ingredients: Devein the shrimp by inserting a toothpick underneath the vein and between the shells. Pull up to remove. Give the shrimp a quick rinse, if needed. Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves. Cut the pineapples into small bite-size chunks. If using large okra, halve at a diagonal. Otherwise, leave okra whole. Quarter the tomatoes. Set everything aside.
• In a medium-size pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Set aside half of the fried garlic for garnish. Add chicken stock to the pot with the remaining garlic and bring the pot to a boil.
• Add tamarind pulp to a mesh strainer and lower it into the stockpot. Use the back of a spoon to help push the pulp through the strainer. Discard remains.
• Season stock with salt, fish sauce, and sugar to taste.
• Add shrimp. When shrimp start to turn color, add okra and pineapple. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add tomatoes and immediately turn off the heat.
• Garnish soup with fried garlic from earlier, Thai chili peppers, and either rice paddy herbs, Thai basil, culantro, or cilantro. Serve with steamed rice and one of the following traditional Vietnamese protein dishes for a complete meal.

VIETNAMESE FISHERMAN'S SOUP

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium pot.
• Using a strainer with a long handle, blanch all seafood for about 10-20 seconds (this removes impurities and keeps the chicken stock clear when you add the seafood later); set seafood aside.
• Discard water and wipe the pot dry; add the oil and heat over moderate heat; add the chili paste and garlic and allow to sizzle until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil; add the seafood, tomatoes, pineapple, onion, fish sauce, sugar, salt, tamarind and lime juice; cook until seafood is just done, about 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add bean sprouts and herbs; garnish with fried shallots and serve piping hot.
• Fried shallots: line a cookie sheet with paper towels and spread thinly sliced shallots on top (use about a cup of shallots); let sit for 15-20 minutes to air dry (makes the shallots crispier); heat the oil in a skillet over low heat; add the shallots and and stir them so they don't tangle; fry the shallots until golden, about 5 minutes and with a slotted spoon, remove and drain them on paper towels.
• When shallots are cool, transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and they'll keep at room temperature for 2 weeks.

VIETNAMESE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• In a Medium pot, heat oil over medium high heat, add diced onions. Saute until tender, stirring often, about 4 - 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium, add garlic, and mushrooms.
• Saute until mushrooms are just tender, about 3-4 more minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Saute until tomatoes begin to melt, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add stock and soy sauce (optional). Add tofu and tamarind paste ( or lime juice). Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Taste for balance. Add salt to taste.
• Serve in a bowls with chopped cilantro and chives and chili flakes.
• Serves 2 for dinner or 4 as a starter.