Vietnamese Sour Soup with Shrimp & Pineapple | Swirls and Spice

Vietnamese Shrimp and Pineapple Sour Soup

One doesn’t usually associate pineapple with soup, but in southern Vietnam, Canh Chua is a popular soup that incorporates fish or shrimp.  I associate it with winding bus trips down the mountains through the towns on the way to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).  It’s been more than a decade since I’ve had it, but with the healthy recipe challenge to use pineapple and greens, I … Continue reading Vietnamese Shrimp and Pineapple Sour Soup

Viet-Thai Meatballs | Swirls and Spice

Viet-Thai Sweet and Sour Meatballs {Gluten Free}

These are no ordinary meatballs.  Glazed in a zingy sauce made from Thai sweet chili sauce and lemongrass, the intermingling of Asian flavors is lively and intense.I appreciate the expert way the Vietnamese use lemongrass to season meats and seafood. Since leaving Viêtnam a decade ago, I’ve missed tasting those dishes on a regular basis.  Sweet and spicy flavors dominate southern Vietnamese cuisine, which has quite a bit of … Continue reading Viet-Thai Sweet and Sour Meatballs {Gluten Free}