Canh Chua Dau Ca (Sour Fish Head Soup)

Ingredients

• •2 scallions, white part only, crushed with the side of a knife
• •Freshly ground black pepper
• •2 teaspoons alt
• •2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• •1 large fish head or fish carcass, split down the center
• •1 quart water
• •1/2 cup canned sliced sour bamboo
• •1/4 fresh pineapple, cut in a lengthwise section and sliced
• •2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh coriander

Directions

1. 1Sprinkle the scallions, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 teaspoons fish sauce over the fish head. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. 2Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and drop in the sour bamboo and pineapple slices. Cook at a lively boil for 5 minutes. Drop fish head into the actively boiling water and, keeping at a boil, add the 2 tablespoons fish sauce and the remaining teaspoon salt. Boil the fish head for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer to a soup tureen, sprinkle on the coriander and scallion green, and serve.
3. 3Note: If the fish head is dropped into water that is not boiling, it will fall apart.