Sour fish soup with pineapple and tamarind (Canh chua cá)

1. Cut the catfish into 3 cm pieces and marinate for 10 minutes with 1 tbsp fish sauce; finely chop the garlic and fry in the oil until golden, then set aside.

2. Bring the water to the boil and stir in the tamarind paste; season with the sugar, salt and remaining fish sauce – the broth should be sour, sweet and salty at once.

3. Add the pineapple pieces and halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add the fish and the diagonally sliced okra and cook at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes until the fish is cooked – don't stir hard, so it stays in pieces.

5. Turn off the heat and add the bean sprouts and sliced chillies; leave them in the soup for just 30 seconds so they stay crunchy.

6. Sprinkle with the fried garlic, coriander and Thai basil and serve with rice.

Tip: The everyday soup of the Mekong Delta, often paired with caramelised fish (cá kho tộ). The original also includes taro stems (bạc hà) and rice paddy herb (ngò om) – add them if you find them.