Vietnamese Sour Shrimp Soup with Tamarind and Pineapple

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

A bright, tangy, and lightly sweet shrimp soup from southern Vietnam, built on a quick shrimp-shell broth flavored with tamarind, ripe pineapple, okra, and bean sprouts. It is finished with classic fresh herbs like rice paddy herb and Vietnamese coriander, then ladled over bowls of steamed jasmine rice.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 210 kcalCalories
• 6 gFat
• 1 gSaturated Fat
• 18 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 10 gSugar
• 25 gProtein
• 850 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 130 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 28 mgVitamin C
• 35 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the shrimp and stock

• 1 lb large shrimp, shell-on
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the soup base

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For finishing

• 8 fresh okra pods, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
• 1/4 cup rice paddy herb (rau om), chopped
• 1/4 cup Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), chopped
• 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 Thai bird's eye chili, thinly sliced (optional)
• Steamed jasmine rice, for serving

Directions

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the heads and shells for the stock. Pat the peeled shrimp dry and refrigerate until needed.
2. Make the shrimp stock: combine the reserved shells and heads with 4 cups of water in a small pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and keep the stock warm.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a clean pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until fragrant and just turning golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato wedges and cook for 1 minute until they soften and release their juices. Add the pineapple chunks and toss to coat.
5. Pour in the warm shrimp stock, then add the tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, palm sugar, and salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil. Taste and adjust the sweet-sour balance now.
6. Add the okra and simmer for 3 minutes until just tender but still crisp and bright green.
7. Stir in the raw shrimp and cook only until they turn pink and opaque, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook.
8. Turn off the heat and gently stir in the bean sprouts. Taste once more and adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness, tamarind for tang, or sugar for sweetness.
9. Ladle the soup over bowls of steamed jasmine rice and top each bowl with rice paddy herb, Vietnamese coriander, green onions, and chili if using. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Notes

• Tamarind concentrate gives a cleaner, more consistent sourness than fresh pulp; start with 1.5 tablespoons and add more to taste.
• Rice paddy herb (rau om) is the signature flavor here; if you cannot find it, substitute with a mix of cilantro and a few fresh mint leaves.
• Pull the pot off the heat as soon as the shrimp curl and turn pink to keep them juicy and tender.
• Balance is everything in this soup – keep tasting and adjusting sugar, salt, and tamarind until the broth is a clear sweet-sour-savory harmony.
• Strain the tamarind if using fresh pulp to avoid gritty pieces in the broth.

You might also like

Asian

Vietnamese Coconut Candy

Asian

Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

Asian

Vietnamese Hanoi Egg Coffee

Asian

Hue-Style Spicy Beef and Pork Noodle Soup