Under The Squash Vines

Canh Chua Cá Thì Là:  Sweet and Sour “Fish” Dill Soup

Ingredients (all are approximate): 

  For the “Fish”:

     2 cups dried bean curds, boil in water until soft

     1 block firm tofu, quartered

  6-7 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

  ¼ onion

  4 cloves garlic

  1 tablespoon mushroom seasoning granules

    Ground black peppers to taste

    Seaweed sheets

For the Soup:

½ pint mushrooms, sliced

½ pineapple, cut small

2 tomatoes, chopped

½ onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon mushroom seasoning granules or to taste

3 tablespoons tamarind cooking concentrate or to taste

1 teaspoon vegan fish sauce or to taste

Optional: 1 pint okras, sliced

For the toppings:

3 Thai chili peppers, minced

1 cup dill, chopped

Scallions, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Instructions: 

For the “Fish”:

1. Pulse all ingredients for the fish in a food processor. Move to the workspace. Knead 10 minutes until a ball is formed.

2. Spread fish mixture on seaweed sheets. Roll tightly and seal edges with water. Cut in small pieces and snip off the ends with kitchen shears.

3. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Set aside.

For the Soup:

1. Heat oil on medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, pineapple, mushroom seasoning granules and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add water and tamarind cooking concentrate. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Add vegan fish sauce to taste.

6. Add okras, bean sprouts, “fish”, chili peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.

7. Turn off heat. Add dill, scallions, and cilantro. Optional: top with enoki mushrooms.

8. Serve with rice.