How to make Vietnamese Cabbage Roll Soup

So you’ve not tried the Vietnamese cabbage roll soup before! It’s actually a refined and sophisticated way of making the cabbage a central part of the cuisine. In Vietnam this is known as Canh Bap Cai Nhoi Thit.

Cabbages are grown throughout the world and in South-East Asia, various cabbages varieties are grown. We grow Chinese Cabbage which is a typical variety. I would suggest starting with this given the leaves are to be used for wrapping up pieces of meat, vegetables and so on.

As with the pork and shrimp crepes (Bahn Xeo), the leaves are stuffed with a similar seafood and meat mix which is a shrimp and pork farcie mix that acquires its unique flavour when fish sauce, five spice powder, pepper and some chili is used as seasoning. The whole cabbage leaf is then simmered in a chicken broth.

Handling the Cabbage Leaf Wrappings

The cabbage leaves are best removed from a whole cabbage such as a savoy or pointed cabbage by removing as much of the core first. Take a sharp paring knife and place at an angle towards the centre of the cabbage. Cut around to remove the core. Peel away the leaves.

Prepare these rolls in advance.

Serves 4 or 6. Makes 16 rolls. Preparation time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 15 -20 minutes.

Equipment:

• stock pots

Ingredients:

• 14-18 cabbage leaves, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes to soften and then drain. Used for wrapping.
• 12-16 scallions or spring onions, blanched in boiling water for 10 seconds until softened. Drain.
• 1.5 litres/6 cups chicken stocks
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2-3 tablespoons Nuoc Cham/fish sauce dip 

Filling:

• 250g/8oz. pork minced and ground up
• 20 (ca. 250g/8 oz.) fresh shrimps or prawns, peeled and deveined – if fresh unavailable, use frozen.
• 16 spring onion bulbs or 6 – 8 shallots – chopped
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (Nuoc Mam)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons sliced coriander/cilantro leaves
• ½ teaspoon five spice powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Prepare the fish sauce dip
2. Add all the onions, ground pork and shrimp and any other fillings in a blender along with the fish sauce, salt and black pepper. Whizz to a smooth paste and put to one side.
3. To a large pot of water, add the cabbage leaves and blanch for 2 minutes max. Add the inner white leaves first as they take longer to cook and then finally the green outer leaves.
4. Drain the cabbage leaves in a colander or sieve. Keep some of the cabbage water just in case not enough chicken stock is available.
5. Place a cabbage leaf on a flat surface. These may need rolling out.
6. Add a tablespoon of pork and shrimp mixture (filling) to the centre of the cabbage leaf.
7. Fold the leaf around but start from the bottom of that leaf. Fold in the sides and tuck them in. 
8. Use a spring onion strip to tie each cabbage roll together.
9. Place each cabbage leaf in the bottom of a stockpot. Just put a plate over the rolls to hold them down.
10. Add the chicken broth/stock, fish sauce and any cabbage water that might be retained. Bring to a boil but then reduce the heat.
11. Simmer on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. Take off the heat.
12. Taste the broth and check seasoning.
13. Have the Nuoc Cham (Fish Sauce dip) for the cabbage rolls. Serve the cabbage rolls on a plate.