04/27/18
Canh Chua aka Sweet and Sour Fish Soup is the type of dish that brings comfort to the soul on a daily basis. The one prepared at Nam Phuong in Atlanta, GA is hands down one of the best representation of this popular Vietnamese comfort dish. The broth is made by mixing tamarind pulp, fish sauce, garlic and chicken stock for a solid foundation. What makes this dish unique and flavorful is how many of your flavor senses get triggered in wonderful layers. First sipe of the broth gives you the instant sweetness from the ripe tomatoes and pineapple that are added. That’s quickly followed by the sourness from the tamarind base broth and then the oily fattiness from the chunks of fish (usually catfish) and slight gelatin from the fresh okra. Each slurp and bite adds more depth as you get crunch from the fore mentioned okra, bean sprouts and elephant ear stems. And just when you think it’s over, a bite of the fresh pineapple and tomatoe pieces send you an extra burst of sweet and sour broth. All these flavors are balanced out with the fresh aroma from spring onions, cilantro and fried garlic with added kick from fresh chili peppers. In most cases, it’s also recommended to dip a piece of the fish in a side sauce of chili and fish sauce to add the salty component to this dish. You can enjoy the soup on its own or pour it over a bowl of white rice, just make sure you don’t miss out.