Vietnamese Mustard Green Soup with Shrimp Balls (Canh Cai Be Xanh Nau Tom Bam)

Step 1

Mince shrimp into a paste with a mortar and pestle, large meat cleaver, or food processor. Add salt, sugar, bouillon powder, ground black pepper, and tapioca starch. Mix until combined and set aside. Alternatively, if you are feeling lazy, leave shrimp whole, season and leave out tapioca starch.

Step 2

In a medium stock pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (a few seconds). Add water slowly to the stock pot. When the pot comes to a boil, scoop shrimp paste into small balls using two spoons then drop it into the hot water. Cook for 3 minutes on a medium-low simmer. Balls will float when they are cooked all the way through.

Step 3

Add mustard green. Cook for 2 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt, fish sauce, sugar, and chicken bouillon powder. Garnish with a sprinkle of ground black pepper and serve.