Vietnamese Fish and Dill Soup (Canh Cá Thì La)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare all ingredients before starting. Cut 400 g white fish fillets into 3 cm chunks and pat dry with paper towels. Cut 250 g tomatoes into wedges. Julienne 15 g fresh ginger into thin matchsticks, chop 40 g spring onions, and chop 40 g fresh dill. Place a medium soup pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Pour 15 ml vegetable oil into the warm pot and add the ginger matchsticks. Sauté for 1 minute over medium heat until fragrant. Add the 250 g tomato wedges and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently until they soften and begin releasing their red juices.

3. 3

   Pour 1000 ml water into the pot and stir in 30 ml fish sauce. Turn the heat up to high and bring the broth to a rolling boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 5 minutes so the tomato and ginger flavors blend.

4. 4

   Carefully add the 400 g fish chunks into the simmering broth. Keep the heat at medium-low and let the fish simmer gently for 5 minutes without stirring roughly, so the pieces remain whole until they turn opaque and flake easily with a fork.

5. 5

   Add the 40 g chopped spring onions and 40 g fresh dill to the pot. Stir gently for 1 minute until the herbs wilt into the hot broth while maintaining their vibrant green color. If the broth evaporates too quickly, add a splash of warm water and lower the heat.

6. 6

   Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the clear broth, tender fish chunks, and tomatoes into four deep soup bowls. Serve immediately hot, optionally accompanied by a side dish of steamed jasmine rice.