Canh chua in Vietnamese means sour soup, and chay means vegetarian. So canh chua chay translates to vegetarian sour soup. This soup originated from South Vietnam. Eating canh chua is like having an explosion of flavors in your mouth because you’ll get the sour from the tamarind, the sweet from the pineapple, and the savory from the seasoning.
If you’re looking for a comparison, I’d say canh chua chay (vegetarian sour soup) is similar to hot & sour soup, but way better and so much healthier because of all the veggies that are in in.
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Ingredients for canh chua (vegetarian sour soup)
Although the flavors are complex, the soup is extremely easy to make. The hardest part is locating some of the ingredients. Don’t worry, I have substitutions for you in case it’s not available.
Elephant ear stalks (a.ka. bạc hà)
Before you panic, elephant ear is not an actual ear from an elephant, instead it is a plant and comes in stalks. The scientific name is Alocasia odora. Elephant ear stalk is similar to a celery stalk. The difference is that elephant ear stalk is more spongy. Just like celery stalks, elephant ear is crispy and has a mild flavor, which means they will easily pick up any flavors used in any dish. I’ve tried to look for elephant ear stems (bạc hà) at the American grocery store, but have not been able to find them. However, you can purchase seeds here and grow them at home. The edible part of the plant is the stem. If you cannot find elephant ear stalks, you can use celery stalks instead.
When buying elephant ear stalks, make sure there are no discoloration to the stalks and they are firm to the touch.
When cooking elephant ear stalk, peel it first to remove the darker green outer skin to reveal a lighter green color. After it’s peeled, wash it with salt by sprinkling some salt on the stalk then give it a gentle rub, and a slight squeeze. Or you can also soak it in salted water for 5 minutes. This will help remove the oxalic acid, which can cause an itching sensation.
Fresh pineapple (a.k.a trái thơm).
That’s right there are fresh pineapple in the soup. Check out my post on “How to peel a pineapple” to get the beautiful design with minimal waste. If you’re short on time, you can always use canned pineapple chunks. This is where the sweetness comes from.
Tamarind (a.k.a quả me).
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Tamarind is a fruit that is native to Asia and Africa. It comes in several forms: whole pods, paste, powder or plastic-block. I normally buy the plastic-block form from the Asian grocery store. If you don’t have access to a local Asian store, you can purchase the tamarind block here. The taste of tamarind ranges from sweet sour to tangy and tart. Using this adds the sour flavor to the soup.
When preparing tamarind for the soup, I will cut out a desired amount and soak it in hot water to make a slurry. After the tamarind dissolves, I will strain it through a fine mesh colander to remove any chunks before adding this water & tamarind slurry to the soup broth.
Okra (a.k.a đậu bắp).
Okra is a fruit that’s also called lady’s fingers, and is filled with tiny white seeds. It also has a slimy feel to it, and contains a substance calls mucilage. The mucilage in the okra will act as a thickener in the soup.
Preparing the okra for cooking is simple. I give them a good wash then cut the ends off before cutting them into half inch pieces. If you’re short on time, you can always use frozen okra.
Rice paddy herb (a.k.a ngò ôm).
This is a tropical flowering plant, part of the Plantaginaceae family. It is a common ingredient used in Vietnamese cuisine. It can be found at the Asian grocery store. If you cannot find it, you can buy seeds to grow them yourself. Getting a herb garden is on my list of things to do this summer. I will let you know how it goes.
Rice paddy herb has an earthy, citrusy flavor, similar to that of cumin. Since I couldn’t find rice paddy herb at the Asian store this year, I used cumin instead and the soup tasted great.
Saw tooth herb (a.k.a ngò gai).
This is another common herb used in Vietnamese cuisine. You’ll find it as a topping on dishes like phở. It tastes similar to cilantro, and is readily available in the Asian grocery store.
Bean sprouts (a.k.a giá).
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These are a vegetable grown by sprouting mung beans. If you love mung beans like I do, click here for more mung bean recipes. Bean sprouts are crisp, tender and can be eaten raw or cooked. Growing up in Vietnam, I heard that if you feed bean sprouts to crickets, it makes their legs fall off 🤷♀️. Personally, I haven’t tested this theory. Most often, you will see them used as toppings in Vietnamese soups like phở. When cooking bean sprouts in soups, add them last to maintain the crispiness.
They are readily available at the Asian grocery store. Although, I feel like I can’t use them fast enough since they come in big bags 🤣.
Fresh tomato (a.k.a cà chua).
Last but not least is fresh tomato cut in wedges. You can substitute chunks of canned tomatoes if you’d like. I would drain the liquid first.
How to make canh chua?
After the ingredients are gathered and prepped, I place them in a pan (except for the bean sprouts) with oil to sauté. Then I add in the liquid (tamarind slurry, water, chicken broth), sugar, salt, fish sauce, cumin, and the canh chua seasoning cube, and I give it a taste. It should taste sour, sweet and savory. If you like it a bit on the sweet side, you can adjust the seasoning at this time. I prefer my canh chua (sour soup) more on the sour side. I know…I’m a bit strange 😂. I will add the bean sprouts at the end, and let it cook for 5 minutes before serving.
How to serve canh chua (sour soup)?
I like to eat my canh chua (sour soup) with Jasmine rice. Yep, mix it all together. Brings back so much memories from my childhood in Vietnam. Check out my post on how to make perfect Jasmine rice here.
Dinner at a Vietnamese house will always contain a soup dish, a main dish, and a side of Jasmine rice. So when I made canh chua, I served it along side Jasmine rice, and a main dish like lemongrass chicken.
The next time you’re craving sweet and sour soup, make a pot of canh chua chay (vegetarian Vietnamese sour soup). For more Vietnamese soup recipes, click here. If you’ve tried Vietnamese sour soup in the past, leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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