This is the most unique of the Vietnamese dishes I've learned to make. This soup is made with stewed fresh tomatoes and a few specialty seafood products from an Asian grocery store, but gathering the ingredients is 100% worth it. It hits like a comfort food, but it's very fresh and bright in flavor. My favorite topping with it is Perilla, a licorice tasting herb. It's such a perfect accompaniment, it's worth seeking out.
Soup Ingredients
- 4 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2lb tomatoes, quartered or sixthed into slices
- 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee brand fermented shrimp paste
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tablespoons rock or granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons ketchup
- 43.5oz chicken broth
- 43.5oz water
- 1-2 teaspoons MSG
- 1-2 Bao Long brand Bun Rieu seasoning cubes
- 1 bunch green onions, cut into 1.5" pieces, added at end of cooking time
Meatball Ingredients
- 2 large shallots
- 1/8lb raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 2/3 lb ground pork
- 5.6 oz Lee brand canned minced crab with spices (about half a can)
- 57g canned crab (optional, about half a can)
-2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
Topping Options
- Soft tofu, cubed, added in last couple minutes of cooking time
- raw mung bean sprouts
- perilla
- sliced limes
- thai basil
- mint
Instructions
Thinly slice the 4 shallots for the soup. Saute in a heated pan with 2 tablespoons oil until light brown. Add the quartered tomatoes, and fry for 3-5 minutes until slightly soft but still holding shape.
Add all remaining soup ingredients to the pot, with the exception of the green onion and optional tofu. Bring to a boil, and let boil for 5 minutes while you prepare the meatballs. After the 5 minute boil, reduce heat to a simmer.
To prepare the meatballs, add the remaining two shallots to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the raw shrimp, and pulse 5-6 times. Add all remaining ingredients (except the canned crab, if using) and pulse until mixed. Slightly squeeze the liquid out of the canned crab and stir in gently with a fork.
Spoon two tablespoon size meatballs into the simmering soup broth. Optionally, to shape the meatballs use two tablespoons, one in each hand, and transfer the meatball mixture from spoon to spoon to create a tight oblong shape.
Once all the meatballs are formed and added to the broth, simmer for 20 minutes. 5 minutes before the end of cooking time, add the green onions and soft tofu.
Taste and season with additional fish sauce, MSG and salt. Serve and enjoy!
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