How to Make Luffa Soup with Fresh Shrimp
Luffa Soup with Fresh Shrimp is a rustic dish that embodies the taste of the countryside. This light, refreshing soup is perfect for hot summer days or when you're feeling tired and in need of a health boost.
Luffa soup with dried shrimp is already familiar to many, but you can try making it with fresh shrimp for a delicate, sweet, and refreshing taste.
Ingredients
- 2 young luffa gourds ~ 900g
- 300g fresh shrimp
- 2 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- Green onions, dill
- Seasonings: MSG, seasoning powder, salt, fish sauce
Ingredient Notes
For the best flavor, choose fresh shrimp with sweet, tender meat. Typically, Cookbeo selects whiteleg shrimp or sand shrimp when making this soup.
Instructions
Preparing the Ingredients
Preparing the shrimp
Rinse the shrimp with coarse salt and water. Remove the tails, separate the heads, peel the shells, and devein the shrimp by removing the black vein along the back. Rinse the shrimp again, pat dry, and finely chop the shrimp meat. Marinate the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder.
For the shrimp heads, trim off the sharp parts and remove the black digestive sac beneath the eyes. If the shrimp are fresh, you can keep the internal organs like the hepatopancreas. If not, remove these parts. Rinse thoroughly.
Pound the shrimp heads in a mortar and strain to extract the juice. Set the juice aside to use as a broth for the soup.
Preparing the luffa
Peel the luffa and remove both ends. Wash it thoroughly. You can either shred it into thin strips, cut it into long sections, or slice it into round pieces as you prefer.
Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Trim and clean the green onions and dill, then chop them into small pieces.
Cooking the Luffa Soup
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pot, then sauté the chopped shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add the shrimp meat and stir-fry. To avoid drying out the shrimp or sticking it to the pot, lower the heat while stir-frying.
Stir-fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes until it turns a pinkish-red color, then pour in the shrimp juice. Add more water depending on the number of servings. For 3-4 servings, use about 1.5 liters of water. If you prefer more soup, feel free to add more water.
When the broth starts boiling, add the luffa. Once it comes to a boil again, season the soup with MSG, salt, and a little fish sauce to enhance the aroma. Remember to skim off any foam for a clearer broth, and keep the pot uncovered to maintain the green color of the luffa.
Cook until the luffa becomes tender and translucent, about 2 minutes after the soup starts boiling again. Add the chopped green onions and dill, cook for another 5-6 seconds, and then turn off the heat.
This luffa soup with shrimp has the distinctive aroma of fresh shrimp and the sweet, refreshing taste of luffa. The luffa is cooked just right—tender but not mushy—while the shrimp is soft and sweet, not dry.
Luffa soup with shrimp pairs perfectly with crispy pickled eggplant, caramelized pork belly, or braised fish for a delightful meal.
