Canh Rieu Ca (Sour Tomato Soup with Red Tilapia), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener

Method

1. Scale the 500g red tilapia, trim the fins, gut it and soak in salted water for about 10 minutes to clean off the slime, then lift out, drain and cut the fish in half.
2. Trim the roots from 50g dill, pick out any yellowed fronds, wash and cut into bite sized lengths. Peel and mince the shallot. Remove the tomato stems, wash and cut into wedges.
3. Set a nonstick pan over the heat, add the cooking oil and fry the fish for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side until evenly golden, then lift onto a plate.
4. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil and fry the minced shallot until fragrant, add 300g tomato, season with 1 teaspoon seasoning powder and 1 teaspoon fish sauce and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomato softens, then turn off the heat.
5. In a pot, bring 1 liter water, 2 tablespoons tamarind water, 5 teaspoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
6. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the cooked tomato. Once it returns to a boil, add the fish and cook another 10 minutes.
7. Adjust the seasoning, turn off the heat, add the dill, stir gently and ladle into bowls.

Tips

• Frying the fish before it goes into the pot lets the pieces take on the seasoning, hold together and lose their fishy edge.
• Wait for a full boil before the fish goes in, since adding it early leaves the broth fishy.
• Fry the fish over medium heat and turn it only once the underside is fully golden, since an early turn sticks the skin to the pan.
• Add the tamarind water gradually and taste, since every batch of tamarind has its own sourness.
• The dill goes in once the heat is off, which keeps its aroma.