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Canh bí đỏ chay (clear pumpkin soup)
Canh bí đỏ chay: chunks of pumpkin in a light broth with coriander and spring onion
Every Vietnamese family meal has a canh, a light soup to sip between mouthfuls of rice, and in autumn in the north the pot is often full of orange pumpkin. Unlike a blended Western pumpkin soup this one stays clear and brothy, with soft, sweet chunks you break with a spoon. Most kitchens add minced pork or dried prawns; this vegetarian version gets its depth from shiitake and a little soy. It is a good soup for children and for anyone recovering from a cold. Chef's tip: cut the pumpkin into even 3 cm chunks and stop cooking as soon as they are tender; overcooked pumpkin falls apart and turns the broth cloudy and porridge-like.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb pumpkin or kabocha squashpeeled, seeded and cut into 3 cm chunks
- 4 dried shiitake mushroomssoaked 20 minutes and thinly sliced, water kept
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 shallotthinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp tamari
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 spring onionssliced
- 1 handful coriander leavesor rice paddy herb
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry 1 shallot and 4 dried shiitake mushrooms for 2 minutes until the shallot is soft and fragrant.
2 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅓ lb pumpkin or kabocha squash and stir for 1 minute so it picks up the oil.
1 minStep 3: Pour in 1.2 litres of water, including the mushroom soaking water, and bring to the boil over a high heat. Skim off any foam.
4 minStep 4: Lower to a gentle simmer and cook until a chopstick slides into the pumpkin easily but the chunks still hold their shape.
8 minStep 5: Season with 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp tamari and ½ tsp sugar, then switch off the heat and stir in 2 spring onions and 1 handful coriander leaves. Finish with ¼ tsp ground black pepper and serve with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does canh bí đỏ chay (clear pumpkin soup) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of dried shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of shallot?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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