Vietnam’s sweet and sour fish soup –“canh chua ca” is ranked in the top 10 of the world’s best seafood soups, while its two other versions made the top 100 in a list by international food magazine TasteAtlas.
The three dishes were recognized in TasteAtlas’s Top 100 Seafood Soups list released on April 15 and based on 2,602 verified ratings out of 4,607 collected.
Ranked 10th on the list, canh chua ca refers to a variety of fish-based soups known for their blend of sweet, spicy, and sour flavors. The broth is made with tamarind and features ingredients such as pineapple, tomatoes, okra, and bean sprouts.
Catfish is the most common choice of fish, though other versions use carp, snakehead fish, or salmon. The soup is topped with cilantro and served with a side of rice.
People in the Mekong Delta often enjoy sweet and sour fish soup with caramelized braised fish and a bowl of steamed white rice. And of course, no meal is complete without a small bowl of spicy fish sauce with fresh chili.
Another version simply called canh chua (sweet and sour tamarind soup) was ranked 32nd. Depending on the region, variations may include chicken, pork, beef, or bamboo shoots.
Vietnamese seafood hot pot secured the 69th spot. This dish involves diners cooking their own meal at the table, using a metal pot heated by charcoal. Ingredients include seafood such as prawns, squid, fish fillets, and a range of vegetables like Chinese cabbage and mustard greens.
Topping the list of the world’s best seafood soups is Finland’s lohikeitto, a creamy salmon soup made with potatoes, carrots, and dill. It is followed by Finland’s kalakeitto, a broader category of fish soups that can be made with a variety of fish. Thailand’s tom yum, a spicy and sour soup filled with shrimp, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs, rounds out the top three.
By Phuc Trinh – VNExpress