When we came home with our little one, we were so blessed to have both families nearby to prepare food for us so we could focus on settling in as a family and not worry about nutritious food. My sister in law made a soup I had never tried before to go along with the dry lemongrass pork ribs that Anh loves. Way easier than I thought, Canh Cai Dau Hu – Tofu, Mustard Greens and Pork soup – has quickly become a staple. It cooks up fast and will fill you up even if you don’t have time to prepare a protein. In other words, most days that involve back-to-back nursing sessions, botched naps and blowouts 🙂
Simple and straightforward soup
Canh Cai Dau Hu
Serves 4 with two other dishes, or 2 with plenty of leftovers!
- 1 bunch baby mustard greens, rough chopped
- 1/4 – 1/2 lb ground pork (you can also use chicken)
- 1 package soft tofu, cut in cubes
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 4 inch knob ginger, minced and divided
- 6 cups water
- 3-4 tbl Fish Sauce
- 2-4 tbl Sugar
- 1-2 tbl Mushroom seasoning
- 1 tbl neutral oil
Heat oil in a 5 court pot and cook shallot until fragrant. Add 1/3 of the minced ginger, 1 tbl fish sauce and ground pork and mix well until cooked through.
Add water, 2 tbl sugar,1 tbl mushroom seasoning and 1tbl fish sauce and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Skim any gunk that rises to the top for a clearer broth. Then you may add the rest of the ginger and cubed tofu. Simmer another 5 minutes and taste, adjusting as needed.
Gently stir in the mustard greens and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Make any final flavor adjustments and top with black pepper.
Serve with rice on the side or in the same bowl.
Learning Vietnam 
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