Vietnamese Pumpkin Soup (Canh Bi Do)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
3 people
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Calories
187 kcal
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Cuisine
Vietnamese
Vietnamese Pumpkin Soup (Canh Bi Do)
Description
Vietnamese Pumpkin Soup (Canh Bi Do) uses peeled butternut squash or other cooking pumpkins as the main vegetable, cut into small chunks. Ground pork with low fat content is sautéed with minced garlic and salt to form a flavorful base. The pork is cooked until no longer pink on the outside before water is added to create a broth. This broth is gently simmered and skimmed to maintain clarity.
The pumpkin pieces are added once the broth is simmering and cooked until tender but still holding shape. Fish sauce can be added for additional umami flavor according to taste. The soup is garnished with thinly sliced scallions and roughly chopped cilantro, which add fresh herbal notes and texture contrast.
The resulting soup is lightly seasoned, allowing the natural sweetness of the pumpkin to shine alongside the savory pork. The method maintains a clear broth with subtle depth. This soup is suitable as a light starter or a simple meal when paired with rice.
Using pumpkin varieties like Kabocha or butternut squash provides slightly different textures and sweetness levels. Selecting ground pork with lower fat improves the broth's clarity and reduces greasiness. The recipe suggests slowly rendering excess fat if higher fat pork is used.
Ingredients
- 14 oz butternut squash or Kabocha squash, or other types of cooking pumpkin, peeled, uncooked
- 5 oz ground pork (with low percentage of fat preferably)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce to taste, optional
- scallion thinly sliced
- cilantro roughly chopped
- black pepper
Instructions
- Cut squash into small pieces, about ½-¾ inch thick. Set aside. Mix ground pork with ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Place a pot over medium heat and heat a small amount of oil. Once the oil is hot, add minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add ground pork. Stir and cook while breaking up the meat. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to stir and cook until the pork is no longer pink on the outside.
- Pour water into the pot and bring it to a boil. Skim off any foam and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover with the lid slightly askew and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
- Open the lid and add squash pieces. Increase the heat and let the soup come to a rolling simmer. Then skim off foam and lower the heat back to a gentle simmer. Cover with the lid slightly askew and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is tender to your liking.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt or fish sauce to your liking. Transfer to serving bowls. Scatter chopped scallion and cilantro on top and sprinkle some black pepper. Serve right away.
Notes
- Peel and weigh pumpkin raw for accurate quantity; 14 oz peeled corresponds to about half a medium butternut squash.
- Use ground pork with the least fat available for a lighter broth; if higher fat pork is used, cook longer to render and remove excess fat.
- Adjust salt and optional fish sauce to taste for desired seasoning depth.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 187 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 187kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 34mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 705mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 601mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 14063IU | 281% |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 81mg | 8% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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