Canh Bí Đỏ

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all ingredients first for quick cooking: peel and cut the pumpkin into even 2 cm chunks so it cooks at the same rate, mince the shallot finely, and slice the scallions. Reserve a small handful of scallions for serving.

   300 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks20 g shallot, finely minced20 g scallions, thinly sliced
2. 2

   In a pot over medium heat, add the ground pork and half of the minced shallot. Stir and break up the pork for 1-2 minutes until it loses its raw pink color; the meat does not need to brown deeply for this light soup.

   100 g lean ground pork20 g shallot, finely minced
3. 3

   Pour in the water and bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any foam for a clearer broth, then add the pumpkin and the remaining shallot.

   750 ml water300 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks20 g shallot, finely minced
4. 4

   Season with fish sauce and black pepper. Simmer for 6-8 minutes until the pumpkin is just tender and can be pierced easily with a knife but still holds its shape. Avoid overcooking, or the soup will turn cloudy and the pumpkin may collapse.

   18 ml fish sauce0.5 g ground black pepper
5. 5

   Stir in most of the scallions, taste, and adjust with a few extra drops of fish sauce if needed. Turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 1 minute so the flavors settle.

   20 g scallions, thinly sliced18 ml fish sauce
6. 6

   Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved scallions. Serve hot as a light soup alongside steamed rice or as part of a family-style meal.

   20 g scallions, thinly sliced

Origin & History

Canh bí đỏ is a simple Vietnamese home-style soup often cooked as part of an everyday family meal. Vietnamese canh dishes are valued for their light, clean flavors and balance within the meal, and versions with pork are especially common because a small amount of meat can flavor the whole pot.