Which Vietnamese sweet-and-sour soup is called canh chua?

Canh chua is the Vietnamese sweet-and-sour soup.

The soup is especially associated with southern Vietnam and the Mekong Delta. Its characteristic balance comes from souring ingredients such as tamarind, together with sugar, fish sauce, herbs, and vegetables.

Common versions include fish, shrimp, or other seafood. Typical additions may include tomatoes, bean sprouts, okra, pineapple, and elephant ear stem, known in Vietnamese as bạc hà. The ingredients vary by household and region.

Canh chua is usually eaten as part of a rice-based meal rather than as an isolated noodle soup. It is therefore different in structure from dishes such as phở, whose identity centers on noodles and a long-simmered stock.