Vietnamese
Gluten freeCanh măng (dried bamboo shoot soup)
Dried bamboo shoots, soaked and boiled until mellow, then simmered with pork hock in a clear broth
A deep bowl of canh măng sits at the centre of the northern Tết feast tray, where its long, chewy strands of bamboo stand for steady growth in the new year. The dried shoots are soaked and boiled several times until mild and tender, then simmered with pork hock until the broth is clear, sweet and lightly smoky. It is rich but clean-tasting, served with rice beside the boiled chicken, spring rolls and giò. If you prefer chicken, a variation is given in the steps. Chef's tip: tear the soaked shoots into thin strips along the grain rather than cutting across; they stay chewy and soak up more broth.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 380 kcal
Ingredients
For the bamboo
- 5 ½ oz dried bamboo shootssoaked overnight in plenty of water
- 1 tsp saltfor boiling
For the soup
- 2 ¼ lb pork hockcut into chunks by the butcher; or 1 kg bone-in chicken legs
- 3 shallotssliced
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2.5 litres water
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
To serve
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 1 handful coriander (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Search Amazon for the rest
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 5 ½ oz dried bamboo shoots, cover with fresh water and 1 tsp salt, boil for 20 minutes and drain.
20 minStep 2: Repeat the boiling twice more with fresh water each time, until the water stays almost clear and the shoots smell clean, not sour. Common mistake: boiling only once, which leaves the soup bitter with a strong fermented smell.
40 minStep 3: When cool enough, tear the shoots into thin strips and cut into 5 cm lengths.
10 minStep 4: Blanch 2 ¼ lb pork hock in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and rinse.
8 minStep 5: Fry 3 shallots in 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes until golden, add the bamboo and stir-fry for 3 minutes until fragrant.
5 minStep 6: Add the pork, 2.5 litres water and 3 tbsp fish sauce, bring to a boil, then simmer gently, partly covered, for 1½ hours, skimming, until the hock is tender and well past 160°F. Chicken variation: simmer only 40 minutes, until the thickest piece reaches 165°F and the juices run clear.
90 minStep 7: Season with ½ tsp ground black pepper and more fish sauce to taste, then ladle into bowls and scatter with 3 spring onions and 1 handful coriander.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does canh măng (dried bamboo shoot soup) take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- 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 shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushroomsBraised tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
Ful nabitSprouted fava bean soup
Sprouted beans are ladled out with their cooking liquor in Cairo homes when the weather turns cold or someone is feeling run down, and Egyptians swear by the broth as a pick-me-up. The beans are soaked and left to sprout for a few days, then simmered with onion, garlic and cumin into a light, earthy soup that is sharpened at the table with plenty of lemon. You can eat the beans with a spoon or pop them from their skins. Allow 3 to 4 days for sprouting, although the hands-on work is only about 20 minutes. People with G6PD deficiency (favism) must not eat fava beans. Chef's tip: stop the sprouting when the shoots are about 1 cm long; longer sprouts taste grassy and bitter.
Egyptian
Tiyula itumBlack beef soup
Tiyula itum, 'black soup', is the pride of the Tausug people of Sulu in the far south of the Philippines, cooked for weddings, Eid celebrations and when guests come home. Beef (it is a halal, pork-free dish) is simmered with ginger, lemongrass and turmeric, then darkened with pamapa itum, a paste of grated coconut toasted until almost black and pounded with spices. The broth looks dramatic but tastes smoky, earthy and gently peppery, with heat from chillies. Serve it with plain rice. Chef's tip: toast the coconut slowly, stirring all the time, until it is very dark brown but not ashy; burnt-to-ash coconut tastes bitter and ruins the soup.
FilipinoPerfect for:Lunar New Year