Vietnamese Beef and Pickled Mustard Greens Soup (Canh Dưa Bò)
Vietnamese beef and pickled mustard greens soup (canh dưa bò) is a traditional soup from Northern Vietnam. This soup is in the daily rotation of many families due to its simple ingredients and easy preparation method.
An Acquired Taste
Pickled mustard greens (known as dưa cải, dưa chua, or cải chua in Vietnamese) have a tangy, salty flavor with a slightly pungent aroma that some may consider an acquired taste. However, once cooked, the sharpness will mellow. If you like Vietnamese sour soups, like this sour shrimp soup, you’ll likely find canh dưa bò delicious.
In addition, the sourness of the mustard greens perfectly complements the beef, cutting through its meatiness and creating a refreshing, light broth. You may have tried this flavor combination with my Vietnamese beef and pickled mustard greens fried rice.
Traditionally, Viet cooks use beef cuts that have a lot of tendons, fat, and connective tissues, cut them into slightly thick pieces and simmer with the mustard greens. These parts will become tender when cooked with the pickled mustard greens. Beef shank is a good example of such a cut. Alternatively, I often use flank steak and the soup still turns out pretty good.
Easy One-pot Preparation
This soup is cooked in just one pot from start to finish. We sear the beef and stir-fry the pickled mustard greens first to bring out their flavors. Then everything is simmered together until tender and the flavors are combined.
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Vietnamese Beef and Pickled Mustard Greens Soup (Canh dưa bò)
Ingredients
- 6 oz flank steak or beef shank
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- black pepper
- cooking oil
- 8 oz pickled mustard greens
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 3½ cups water
- fish sauce (to taste)
Instructions
- Slice beef against the grain into slightly thick pieces, about ¼-inch thick. Place in a mixing bowl and toss with minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, black pepper and ½ teaspoon oil. Set aside to marinate briefly.
- Rinse the pickled mustard greens under water then pat dry. Remove the tough stems and chop into small pieces, about 1-inch wide.
- Place a pot over medium heat and once it is hot, add some oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add minced shallots and sauté until fragrant.
- Increase the heat and add the beef. Sauté until the beef is almost no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.
- Return the heat to medium and add the chopped pickled mustard greens. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato wedges. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until tomatoes start to soften and release juice.
- Add water and the remaining salt to the pot. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes until the beef and pickled mustard greens reach your desired texture and the flavors come together.
- Season the soup with fish sauce to taste. Transfer to serving bowls and serve right away with rice.
