View source for Canh chua

{{Short description|Vietnamese sour soup dish}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Vietnamese words and phrases]]}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name             = ''Canh chua''
| image            = Canhchua2.jpg
| image_size       = 250px
| caption          = A bowl of ''Canh chua''
| alternate_name   = 
| country          = [[Vietnam]]
| region           = [[Mekong Delta]]
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Soup]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[Fish as food|Fish]], [[pineapple]], [[tomato]]es, sometimes other vegetables, [[bean sprout]]s, [[tamarind]]-flavored [[broth]]
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| similar_dish     = ''[[Samlor machu]]''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lee |first1=Jonathan H. X. |last2=Nadeau |first2=Kathleen M. |title=Encyclopedia of Asian American folklore and folklife |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9BrfLWdeISoC&pg=PA199 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |year=2011 |page=199 |isbn=978-0-313-35066-5 |quote=''Somluar machu'' is the Khmer version of the Southern Vietnamese hot and sour soup ''canh chua''.}}</ref>
| other            = 
}}

'''''Canh chua''''' ({{IPA|vi|kaiŋ cuə|lang}}, ''sour soup'')<ref>The term ''canh'' refers to a clear broth with vegetables and often meat, and ''chua'' means "sour".</ref> is a [[Vietnamese cuisine|Vietnamese]] [[sour soup]] indigenous to the [[Mekong Delta]] region of [[Southern Vietnam]] (Central Vietnam also have their own canh chua). It is typically made with [[Fish as food|fish]] from the Mekong River Delta, [[pineapple]], [[tomato]]es (and sometimes also other vegetables such as [[okra|ladyfingers (đậu bắp)]] or ''[[Leucocasia gigantea|stems of giant elephant ears (dọc mùng)]]''), and [[bean sprout]]s, in a [[tamarind]]-flavored [[broth]]. It is garnished with the lemony-scented herb ''ngò gai'' (''[[Limnophila aromatica]]''), [[caramelized]] [[garlic]], and chopped [[scallions]], as well as other herbs, according to the specific variety of ''canh chua''; these other herbs may include ''[[Vietnamese coriander|rau răm]]'' (Vietnamese coriander), ''[[Eryngium foetidum|ngò om]]'' (long coriander), and ''rau quế'' ([[Thai basil]]).  It can be served alone, with [[white rice]], or with [[rice vermicelli]].  Variations can include [[Shrimp and prawn as food|prawns]], [[Squid as food|squid]], [[spare ribs]], [[fish cake]]s and [[quail eggs]].

The sour taste of the soup comes from tamarind, which is mixed with a small amount of hot water; the mixture is then stirred for a few moments to release all the essence, and the liquid (minus the tamarind seeds and other solids, which are discarded) is then added to the soup.

When made in style of a [[hot pot]], ''canh chua'' is called ''lẩu canh chua''.

==Varieties==
*'''Canh chua me''' - made with tamarind; includes most varieties of ''canh chua''
**'''Canh chua me đất''' or '''canh chua rau nhút''' - made with water mimosa ''([[Neptunia oleracea]])''
*'''Canh chua cá''' - made with fish
**'''Canh chua đầu cá''' - made with fish heads
**'''Canh chua cá lóc''' - made with [[Channa|snakehead fish]]
**'''Canh chua cá bông lau''' - made with ''[[Pangasius]] krempfi'' [[catfish]]
**'''Canh chua cá lăng''' - made with ''[[Hemibagrus]]'' catfish
**'''Canh chua cá ngát''' - made with ''[[Plotosus]]'' catfish
**'''Canh chua cá trê''' - made with [[airbreathing catfish]]
**'''Canh chua cá linh bông so đũa''' - made with mud [[carp]] and ''[[Sesbania grandiflora]]'' flowers
**'''Canh chua lá giang cá kèo''' - made with ''[[Urceola polymorpha]]'' leaves and [[mudskipper]] fish in the genus ''[[Apocryptes]]''
**'''Canh chua lươn''' - made with [[Eel as food|eel]]
**'''Canh chua cá hồi''' - made with [[Salmon as food|salmon]]
**'''Canh cải chua cá''' - made with pickled [[Brassica juncea|mustard greens]] and fish
*'''Canh chua tôm''' - made with shrimp
**'''Canh chua tôm rau muống''' or '''canh chua rau muống nấu tôm''' - made with shrimp and water spinach (''[[Ipomoea aquatica]]'')
**'''Canh chua thơm nấu tép''' or '''canh chua thơm nấu với tép''' - made with pineapple and small shrimp
*'''Canh chua gà''' - made with chicken
**'''Canh chua lá giang gà''' or '''canh chua gà lá giang''' - made with chicken and ''[[Aganonerion polymorphum]]'' leaves
**'''Canh chua lá giang cá kèo''' - made with ''[[Urceola polymorpha]]'' leaves and [[mudskipper]] fish in the genus ''[[Apocryptes]]''
*'''Canh chua rau muống''' - made with water spinach (''[[Ipomoea aquatica]]'')
**'''Canh chua tôm rau muống''' or '''canh chua rau muống nấu tôm''' - made with water spinach (''[[Ipomoea aquatica]]'') and shrimp
*'''Canh chua chay''' - vegetarian
**'''Canh chua đậu hũ''' - made with tofu
*'''Canh chua măng''' - made with pickled bamboo shoots
*'''Canh cải chua''' - made with pickled mustard greens
**'''Canh cải chua thịt bằm''' - made with pickled mustard greens and ground pork
**'''Canh cải chua sườn non''' - made with pickled mustard greens and [[Pork ribs#Baby ribs|baby back pork ribs]]
**'''Canh cải chua cá''' - made with pickled mustard greens and fish
**'''Canh cải chua ruột non''' or '''canh cải chua lòng heo''' - made with pickled mustard greens and [[chitterlings|pork intestines]]
**'''Canh cải chua nấu với bắp bò''' - made with pickled mustard greens and [[beef shank]]
*'''Canh chua Thái''' or '''canh chua Thái Lan''' - an adaptation of Thai ''[[tom yum]]''

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* [[List of fish dishes]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==See also==
*[[Samlar machu]]
*[[Hot and sour soup]]
*[[Hot pot]]
*[[Vietnamese cuisine]]
*[[Laksa#Asam laksa|Penang Asam Laksa]]

{{Vietnamese cuisine}}

[[Category:Fish dishes]]
[[Category:Vietnamese soups]]