Canh Chua Ca (Sweet and Sour Fish Soup)

From the book, A Little Vietnamese Cookbook.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons tamarind paste or 3  tablespoons lime juice
• 7  cups water or 7  cups  fish stock
• 2  tablespoons palm sugar or 2  tablespoons white sugar
• 2  large tomatoes, skinned and sliced
• 1  thick celery rib, chopped
• 1  tablespoon fish sauce
• 10  ounces cod or 10  ounces  white fish fillets, cut into bite size pieces
• 3  ounces bean sprouts
• 1  teaspoon  finely chopped red chile
•  mint or  sweet basil or  fresh coriander leaves

Directions

1. Steep tamarind paste in cold water from allowance and strain into pot.
2. Or if using lime juice, add it to the water or fish stock.
3. Combine liquid, sugar, tomatoes, celery and fish sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add fish, bean sprouts and chilies and simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Serve in individual soup bowls and garnish with plenty of mint, sweet basil or coriander, or all three.
6. Serve with a side dip of Vietnamese Fish Sauce (nuoc cham).