Name: Canh cà đắng — Central Highlands bitter eggplant soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 400 g small bitter eggplants (cà đắng), trimmed and halved or quartered lengthwise; 60 g dried small fish, preferably unsalted anchovy, rinsed and pounded coarsely; 1.4 L fresh potable water; 200 ml fresh rice-rinse water, from the second rinse of rice washed with potable water; use immediately; 20 g shallot, peeled and finely chopped; 10 g garlic, peeled and finely chopped; 15 ml neutral oil or pork lard; 15 ml fish sauce; 3 g fine salt, or to taste after checking the fish's saltiness; 5 g fresh red chili, thinly sliced (optional); 15 g sawtooth coriander (culantro), rinsed, dried and roughly chopped; 20 g scallions, rinsed and thinly sliced; 200 g dry white rice, rinsed with potable water and cooked according to the package to serve with the soup; 1 L cool potable water for soaking the eggplant; 10 g fine salt, dissolved in the eggplant soaking water; 500 ml cool potable water for rinsing or briefly soaking the dried fish

A wide tabletop view places the bitter eggplant soup beside steamed rice and a small plate of fresh greens. — Rice and fresh greens accompany the bowl of bitter eggplant soup.

Yield 4 side bowls

Cook time 35 minutes

Passive time 10 minutes

Total time 70 minutes

Calories per serving about 120 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Canh cà đắng — Central Highlands bitter eggplant soup

Canh cà đắng is associated with Ê Đê and other Central Highlands food traditions. The small green fruit has a naturally bitter, slightly astringent taste that remains part of the soup. Local preparations vary: local versions may combine dried fish, meat, offal, frog or wild greens.

This practical home version uses dried small fish, using shallot, garlic, chili, sawtooth coriander and starchy rice-rinse water for a little body. Households use different combinations of ingredients. A brief salt-water soak helps clean the cut fruit; it is not intended to remove its characteristic bitterness.

Practical

Tips for successIf the dried fish is salty, rinse and soak it briefly, then taste the soup before adding the full salt measure. Simmer the eggplant until tender but still holding its shape; a little bitterness is expected. Collect rice-rinse water from rice washed with potable water and use it promptly; simmer it thoroughly in the soup.

Ingredients

Soup

400 g small bitter eggplants (cà đắng), trimmed and halved or quartered lengthwise
60 g dried small fish, preferably unsalted anchovy, rinsed and pounded coarsely
1.4 L fresh potable water
200 ml fresh rice-rinse water, from the second rinse of rice washed with potable water; use immediately
20 g shallot, peeled and finely chopped
10 g garlic, peeled and finely chopped
15 ml neutral oil or pork lard
15 ml fish sauce
3 g fine salt, or to taste after checking the fish's saltiness
5 g fresh red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
15 g sawtooth coriander (culantro), rinsed, dried and roughly chopped
20 g scallions, rinsed and thinly sliced

To serve alongside (not included in soup nutrition estimate)

200 g dry white rice, rinsed with potable water and cooked according to the package to serve with the soup

For soaking and rinsing (discarded)

1 L cool potable water for soaking the eggplant
10 g fine salt, dissolved in the eggplant soaking water
500 ml cool potable water for rinsing or briefly soaking the dried fish

Method

Rinse 200 g dry white rice with potable water; discard the first rinse, collect 200 ml of the second for the soup and cook the rice according to its package to serve alongside. Use the rinse water immediately; keep it chilled if there is any delay.
Trim the bitter eggplants and halve or quarter them lengthwise. Dissolve 10 g salt in 1 L cool potable water, soak the pieces for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse. Rinse the dried fish; if it is firm or salty, soak it in 500 ml cool water for 5 minutes and drain. Pound the fish coarsely.
Heat the oil or lard in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the shallot and garlic for 1–2 minutes until fragrant without browning deeply. Add the pounded fish and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes.
Transfer the aromatics and fish to a 3 L pot. Add 1.4 L fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a steady simmer for 10 minutes so the dried fish flavors the broth.
Add the drained bitter eggplant and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until tender but still holding its shape. Stir in the 200 ml rice-rinse water, bring back to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes so the soup lightly thickens.
Season with fish sauce and 3 g salt, tasting first because dried fish can be salty. Add the optional chili, sawtooth coriander and scallions. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
Ladle into four bowls, about 400 ml each. Serve hot as a side soup with steamed rice.

Practical

Practical guidance

The bitterness should remain noticeable but balanced by the dried fish and aromatics. The salt-water soak is brief; soaking the fruit for much longer or simmering it until it falls apart can dull its texture. If using salted dried fish, rinse and soak it, then add fish sauce and salt gradually. Rice-rinse water should be made with potable water and used fresh. If it cannot be used immediately, refrigerate it while preparing the other ingredients. Cool leftover soup in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C for 3–4 days, and reheat to 74°C. Cooked rice should also be cooled separately in a shallow container within 2 hours, refrigerated at or below 4°C for 3–4 days, and reheated to 74°C.

Troubleshooting

The soup is too salty: the dried fish or fish sauce may be saltier than expected. Add hot water a little at a time and adjust the balance with fresh herbs. The eggplant is too firm: simmer a few minutes longer, checking often so the pieces keep their shape. The soup is too thin: stir in a little more fresh rice-rinse water and simmer for 2–3 minutes; avoid adding raw rice water after cooking.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use salted dried fish? Yes. Rinse it and soak it for 5 minutes, then taste before adding all the fish sauce and salt. Salt levels vary by product. Will soaking remove the bitter taste? A brief soak rinses the cut fruit but will not remove its defining bitterness. Keep the soak short and simmer only until tender.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving sizeabout 400 ml, one side bowl; rice served alongside is not included
Caloriesabout 120 kcal
Carbohydrateabout 8 g
Proteinabout 10 g
Fatabout 5 g
Fibreabout 3 g
Sodiumabout 900 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains fish from dried fish and fish sauce. Check the fish-sauce label for wheat or cross-contact if avoiding gluten. Use potable water for washing rice and vegetables. Keep rehydrated fish and prepared rice-rinse water chilled if not used immediately; discard soaking water. Bring the soup to a full boil, then simmer the fish and rice-rinse water thoroughly. For a fresh-fish variation, cook the fish to 63°C or until opaque and flaky. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C.

To finish

Serve the soup hot while the eggplant still holds its shape and the herbs smell fresh.
Pair it with steamed rice and let each diner adjust the chili at the table.

Canh cà đắng — Central Highlands bitter eggplant soup

Practical

Ingredients

Soup

To serve alongside (not included in soup nutrition estimate)

For soaking and rinsing (discarded)

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

Súp cua — Vietnamese crab and egg soup

Gà nướng mắc khén — Northwest Vietnamese roast chicken

Heo rẫy nướng — Central Highlands grilled pork