My latest Supper Club had a theme of the Five Tastes. I chose sour and prepared Vietnamese Sour Catfish Soup.

Vietnamese Sour Catfish Soup

1 tablespoon of cooking oil

2 stalks of lemongrass, bruised and cut down into 3 inch lengths

1 shallot, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 ½ lb catfish fillets, sliced into 2 inch widths, patted dry

6 cups of chicken stock

2 cups water

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 can of pineapple chunks in juice, drained

2 tablespoons of tamarind paste

2 stalks of taro stem (bac ha), peeled and sliced on a bias into 1 inch thick pieces

Fish sauce to taste

1 bag of bean sprouts

1 bunch of rice paddy herb (ngo om), chopped

½ cup cilantro

Limes

Heat up a tablespoon of cooking oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the lemongrass, shallot and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the catfish and brown for a couple of minutes. Remove the catfish and set aside. The catfish does not need to be fully cooked through at this point.

Pour in the chicken stock & water over the sautéed ingredients. Add tomatoes and pineapple and bring to a boil. Add tamarind paste. Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add the catfish back as well as the taro stem. Season with fish sauce to taste and continue to simmer for 3 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and cook for 3 more minutes. If more sourness desired, add lime juice.

Spoon into bowls and add rice paddy herbs & cilantro.

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