Recipe: Cabbage Roll Soup (Canh Bap Cuon, Vietnamese)

CABBAGE ROLL SOUP (CANH BAP CUON)

"This classic soup has sweet green cabbage leaves stuffed with a pork and shrimp filling. They are virtual spring rolls floating in a delicate broth. Canh bap cuon is often served at special occasions such as Tet, the Lunar New Year. This recipe reminds me of the French choufarci, Savoy cabbage stuffed with ground pork. The Vietnamese version removes the ribs from each cabbage leaf, blanches them, then rolls them into bite -size bundles tightened with a delicate scallion knot."

6 dried cloud ear mushrooms
12 large cabbage leaves, halved lengthwise and ribs removed
2 scallions, trimmed, white parts minced and green tops left intact
4 ounces lean ground pork (double if not using shrimp)
6 ounces shrimp, shelled, deveined, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
6 cups pork stock or chicken stock
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Put the cloud ear mushrooms in a bowl with hot water to cover, then set a plate over the bowl to prevent steam from escaping. Let stand until the mushrooms rehydrate and soften, about 10 minutes. Squeeze the mushrooms between the palms of your hands to get rid of the excess water. Using a paring knife, remove any hard stems. Mince the cloud ears and place in a mixing bowl.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and blanch the cabbage leaves until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the cabbage leaves, rinse under cold water, and drain thoroughly. Blanch the scallion tops in the same pot until just tender, about 1 minute. Rinse under cold water, drain, then tear into 20 long strips. Set both aside.

TO MAKE THE CABBAGE ROLLS:
To the cloud ears, add the pork, shrimp, minced scallion, and fish sauce. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Place about 1 teaspoon of filling at 1-inch from the wide edge (opposite of the pointy tip) of a cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf over the filling once, fold in the sides, and roll all the way to enclose the filling. Take a green scallion strip and tie it around the bundle to secure the filling. Repeat the process until you have 24 cabbage rolls.

TO MAKE THE SOUP:
Pour the stock into a pot and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, add cabbage rolls, and cook until the cabbage is tender and the filling is cooked, about 10 minutes.

Serve hot-in a communal bowl or individual soup bowls-garnished with cilantro leaves.

Makes 4-6 servings
Source: Authentic Vietnamese Cooking by Corinne Trang