Pineapple Seafood Soup Recipe

(Canh Chua Tom)

Ingredients:

500 g fresh seafood (a combination of shrimps, calamari and fish fillets),

cleaned and shelled, and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 teaspoons oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

3 stalks lemongrass, thick white bottom part only, outer layer discarded,

inner part sliced

1 1/2 liters chicken or fish stock

1 large tomato, cut into wedges

150 g fresh or canned pineapple, cut into chunks to yield about 1 cup

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons tamarind juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

100 g bean sprouts, seed coats and tails removed

1 baby cucumber, cut into matchsticks

20 mint leaves or sprigs of coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish

Marinade:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 finger-length red chili, deseeded and sliced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Place the seafood in the marinade and mix until well coated. Cover with a cloth and allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes. Heat the oil in a wok or stockpot over medium heat and stir-fry the onion and lemongrass for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and tender. Add the chicken or fish stock, tomato and pineapple, mix well and season with the fish sauce, tamarind juice, sugar and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 1 minute. Add the marinated seafood and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the shrimps turn pink or are just cooked. Finally add the bean sprouts and mix well, adjusting the seasoning by adding more fish sauce and tamarind juice if needed. Remove from the heat.

Serve hot in individual serving bowls, topped with cucumber and mint or coriander leaves.