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4 eating
Photograph of the finished Canh Ốc Chua Cay

Vietnam · Canh ốc chua cay dọc mùng

Canh Ốc Chua Cay

40 min Hands-on time + 3 hr soaking or marinating first
EasyDifficulty
5 stepsSteps

Method

  1. 1 Soak the snails in rice water for 3 hours, then boil them for 6 minutes, extract the meat, and strain the broth.
  2. 2 Peel the taro stems, then toss them with salt for 15 minutes and squeeze out the excess water. If you don't squeeze them thoroughly, eating them will cause an itchy, burning sensation in your throat.
  3. 3 Sauté the snail meat with shallots, turmeric, and chili peppers for 3 minutes until fragrant.
  4. 4 Boil the snail broth with tomatoes and tamarind juice for 8 minutes to create a rich, sour broth.
  5. 5 Add the taro stems at the last 3 minutes, then season with fish sauce and sprinkle with shredded perilla leaves.

With an appliance

  • Microwave 37 min

    Replace step 1: put the snails and a little water in a bowl with a steam vent, microwave at 900 W for 5 minutes, then remove the meat and drain the liquid; step 5 still involves cooking the taro stems with the lid open for exactly 3 minutes.