Multitaste soup – canh chua ca at Kim Son
They never blink. They never wag their tails. They never mutter a sound. I can never tell what they are thinking or feeling when I look at them. I like them deep-fried, or pan-charred with salt, lemongrass, and pepper, but that’s mostly because of the seasoning mix they’re fried with. By themselves, they are cold-blooded creatures with a distinctive smell, tiny bones resembling oversized needles, very little fat, and worst of all, flaky meat. They’re quite abundant in Vietnam, both alive and cooked. I even like the dipping sauce made out of them. I just don’t like them. Something about their meat freaks me out, or perhaps it’s the childhood memory of having a bone of them stuck in my throat that damages my feeling for those footless fellas. I would have never done it, but my mom, craving for some motherland’s taste, ordered canh chua cá (fish sour-soup) when we went to Kim Son the other day. How could she… fish and soup? Well, it turned out to be the best dish on the table.
Canh is soup. Usually the vegetables in canh are leafy greens, and because canh came about before the French and potatoes arrived in Vietnam, there is no canh with potato. There are, however, canh with taro corm, cassava, sweet potato, and other kinds of starchy roots. A special kind of canh most suitable for summer weather is canh chua (sour), because the mix taste of sour, pepper-spicy and sweet is just cool. The sourness comes from tamarind (fruit and young leaves), starfruit, pineapple, tomato, or lá dang, a kind of sour leaf. Is there sour soup in Western cuisines?
Usually I am indifferent to canh chua at my best mood, because usually canh chua is inseparable from our footless flaky friend. The combination canh chua and fish is adored across the delta, in various menus, and has followed the southern Vietnamese immigrants overseas. It is so southern and so countryside that almost certainly the delta farmers would invite you a bowl of canh chua when you visit them during lunch time. There is also canh chua with shrimp and pineapple, and somewhere in her memory, my mom knows that there is canh chua with chicken, however rare. Fatty meat (pork, duck, beef, etc.) is not allowed. The broth must be clear. The fish must be from fresh water: catfish, snakeheads, climbing gouramis, “pangasius krempfi” (ca bong lau),… Canh chua can’t be cooked with seawater fish because they’re too fishy to be overpowered by the sour benefactors. Ok, what else is there for background check… a bowl of canh chua often has many kinds of vegetables beside the citric star of the act, these add-ons include bean sprout, the stems of night-scented lily (I learn so many new names blogging!), okra,… Native villagers use almost every edible plants they can find in gardens and ponds, so there is hardly any fixed recipe for canh chua. That’s the beauty of it, food is not supposed to be fixed.
The bowl of canh chua we had at Kim Son has every criterion of tasty canh chua, from the sweet-n-sour clear broth to the finishing touch of hot pepper paste. Pangasius krempfi is no longer fishy, just a tender, juicy piece of white flesh (sorry, I just can’t bring myself to saying any fish is good). If you look at the top corner of the picture, there it is, nuoc mam nguyen chat (pure fish sauce) in all splendor, no additional seasoning, a dapple or two into your canh chua to trigger the salty-crave taste buds. Frankly I am quite disappointed at the sight of jalapeno in that nuoc mam. Authentically it must be red pepper, cayenne, thai, etc. Jalapeno is Mexican, canh chua is Vietnamese, and this is not the time for cultural exchange.
What do I like the most in canh chua? The night-scented lily stems. In Vietnamese people call it a dangerously misleading name, “mint”. Minty? Not really. It’s crunchy, finely porous, similar to lotus stem, it stores the broth so well that each bite pours in your mouth a stream of warm, peppery, sweet and sour. Sensational!
I went over this web site and I think you have a lot of excellent information, saved to my bookmarks (:.
1The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a forty foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
2I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, but I never discovered any fascinating article like yours. It’s pretty price enough for me. Personally, if all website owners and bloggers made excellent content as you did, the web might be a lot more useful than ever before. “When there is a lack of honor in government, the morals of the whole people are poisoned.” by Herbert Clark Hoover.
3I have been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this information So i am happy to convey that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to don’t forget this web site and give it a glance on a constant basis.
4I discovered your weblog web site on google and examine just a few of your early posts. Proceed to keep up the very good operate. I simply additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…
5Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such great information being shared freely out there.
6A large percentage of of what you claim is astonishingly legitimate and it makes me ponder why I had not looked at this with this light before. This article truly did switch the light on for me personally as far as this specific topic goes. Nonetheless there is actually just one issue I am not too comfortable with and whilst I try to reconcile that with the central theme of your point, let me see just what the rest of the subscribers have to point out.Very well done.
7Very good written information. It will be beneficial to anybody who usess it, including yours truly :). Keep up the good work – looking forward to more posts.
8I’m not positive where you are getting your info, however good topic. I needs to spend some time studying much more or understanding more. Thank you for fantastic info I was looking for this info for my mission.
9Only wanna remark on few general things, The website layout is perfect, the written content is very fantastic : D.
10Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people consider worries that they just do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
11Really Appreciate this update, can you make it so I receive an email when you publish a new post?
12Good day very cool site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds also…I am satisfied to search out so many helpful information here in the post, we need work out more strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing.
13I will right away grab your rss as I can’t find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
14I do accept as true with all of the ideas you have presented on your post. They’re very convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for starters. May you please lengthen them a little from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
15Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your webpage? My website is in the very same niche as yours and my visitors would really benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Cheers!
16I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thanks a lot
17I’ll immediately grab your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
18This design is wicked! You obviously know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
19Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for your provided information.
20Very interesting points you have observed, appreciate it for posting. “A big man is one who makes us feel bigger when we are with him.” by John C. Maxwell.
21Only wanna input that you have a very decent website , I enjoy the design it actually stands out.
22Excellent blog here! Also your website lots up fast! What host are you the use of? Can I get your affiliate link on your host? I want my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol
23Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
24Very interesting subject, thanks for putting up.
25I think other website owners should take this web site as an model, very clean and good user pleasant design and style.
26Lovely just what I was looking for.Thanks to the author for taking his time on this one.
27Many thanks for sharing this wonderful post. I really like your web page. Many thanks for providing a space for me to comment on your article. I would love to see additional interesting updates from you in the future.
28I’d have to examine with you here. Which is not one thing I usually do! I take pleasure in reading a post that may make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!
29I conceive this site has got some rattling excellent info for everyone :D.
30Thanks on your marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you can be a great author.I will remember to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back later in life. I want to encourage continue your great work, have a nice weekend!
31Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
32I used to be more than happy to find this web-site.I wished to thanks for your time for this wonderful learn!! I positively having fun with each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you weblog post.
33Really Appreciate this article, can I set it up so I receive an email sent to me whenever you write a new post?
34