Recipes / Vietnamese dishes / Soups

How to Make Canh Du Du Xanh (Green Papaya and Pork Bone Soup)

Vietnamese dishesSoupsNationwideabout 45 minutes

Canh du du xanh belongs at a family dinner because it sits light and goes down easily. The bones sweeten the broth and the papaya stays crisp rather than turning to mush. The step that matters is skimming, since a pot left unskimmed goes cloudy and smells strong.

The pork bones soak in lightly salted water, get a three minute blanch, and only then go into the pot, boiled hard for the first three minutes while every trace of foam is lifted off.

This batch weighs about 2.5kg, at roughly 20 calories per 100g.

Method

  1. Soak 400g pork bones in a basin of lightly salted water for 10 minutes, running your hand along them to clear the slime, then rinse under clean water.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the bones for 3 minutes and lift them out.
  3. Peel the green papaya, wash it and cut into bite sized pieces. Wash and chop the spring onion and cilantro.
  4. Set a pot with 2 liters water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and drop in the blanched bones. Boil hard for 3 minutes and skim off all the foam.
  5. Simmer for another 20 minutes so the bones give up their sweetness.
  6. Uncover, skim again, add the papaya and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes until tender, then turn off the heat.
  7. Season with 1/5 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1/2 tablespoon seasoning powder and 1/2 teaspoon MSG, stir well and taste again.
  8. Add the spring onion, cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, and it is done.

Tips

  • Choose a green papaya that is just at the turn and feels firm in the hand, which gives crisp pieces.
  • Bones from a sow give a sweeter broth.
  • Blanch the bones for 3 minutes and throw that first water out, since keeping it leaves the soup cloudy and off smelling.
  • Thorough skimming in the first 3 minutes is what keeps the broth clear.
  • The papaya goes in last, as long cooking turns the pieces soft.

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