Canh Mong Toi Tom / Malabar Spinach Soup with Shrimp

If you’ve ever sat down and had a proper Vietnamese family dinner or cơm gia đình, you already know that the meal is never complete without a big pot of canh (soup) sitting right in the center. Canh is the backbone of these types of meals, and Canh Mong Toi is one of the most beloved versions, which always brings me a ton of comfort. The thing about these types of soups, though, is that you’ll almost never find this soup at any Vietnamese restaurant. Soups like Canh Mồng Tơi were never designed for a menu; they exist solely for the family table. They are the kind of dish your mom or your bà ngoại throws together on a weeknight because it is nourishing, simple, and stretches a meal in the most satisfying way possible. One pot of soup, a bowl of rice, some pickled veggies, and a plate of cá kho or thịt kho on the side, and you have a complete Vietnamese dinner.

I know this soup might seem simple on paper, and honestly, it is. But to me, Canh Mồng Tơi is one of the most delicious soups in the entire Vietnamese repertoire. Every single time I make it, the aroma of the broth simmering with dried shrimp and garlic pulls me straight back to my childhood, sitting at the dinner table with my mom and dad, spooning this soup over a hot bowl of jasmine rice, before I really had to worry about the stresses of life.

What is Malabar Spinach (Rau Mồng Tơi)?

If you’ve never cooked with Malabar spinach before, let me introduce you to one of my favorite Vietnamese vegetables. Known as rau mồng tơi in Vietnamese, and also often called ceylon or vine spinach. Malabar spinach grows on vines and has thick, heart-shaped leaves that look nothing like the baby spinach you grab at the grocery store. The flavor is mildly earthy and vegetal, which makes it perfect for soups like this one. When cooked, malabar spinach releases a subtle, silky texture that gives the broth a light body without making it heavy (think rau day, but not quite as viscous). It’s packed with vitamins A, C, and K, along with iron and calcium, so you are getting serious nutrition in every bowl.

How to Make Canh Mong Toi

Prepare the Malabar Spinach

Wash the Malabar spinach thoroughly, giving it a few good rinses to remove any dirt or grit. These grow on vines close to the ground, so they can carry quite a bit of soil. Separate the leaves from the stems and discard any thick, woody stems. Chop the remaining leaves and stems into thin strips.

Prepare the Shrimp Meatballs

Start by placing the peeled and deveined shrimp on a cutting board and roughly chopping them. Once everything is chopped, set about one-third of it aside in a bowl. Take the remaining two-thirds and keep mincing with your knife until it breaks down into a sticky paste. This takes a few minutes of steady knife work, but it is worth the effort. Combine the shrimp paste with the reserved chopped shrimp in a mixing bowl. This is the key to great shrimp meatballs: the paste acts as the binder that holds everything together, while the chopped pieces give you real shrimp texture in every bite. Season the shrimp mixture with fish sauce, MSG, and white pepper. Mix everything together until well combined. Set the bowl aside while you make the soup.

Build the Broth

Add the dried shrimp to a bowl and cover with room-temperature water. Let them soak for 5 to 10 minutes. This softens them up and gets them ready to release all of that concentrated, sweet brininess into the broth. Once rehydrated, drain the liquid and set the shrimp aside.

Add a splash of oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant. You want that garlic golden and aromatic before moving on. Add the rehydrated dried shrimp and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes to develop its flavor. Then pour in four quarts of water and bring it up to a boil. As the water heats up, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Once the broth is at a rolling boil, season it with sugar, MSG, and fish sauce.

Add the Spinach and Shrimp Meatballs

Add the prepped malabar spinach to the pot. Then grab two spoons and start forming your shrimp meatballs. Use one spoon to scoop a rough portion of the shrimp mixture, then use the second spoon to carefully push it off and into the broth. Don’t worry about making them perfectly round. Rustic, rough little meatballs are exactly what you want here. Continue cooking the soup for a couple of minutes, or until the shrimp meatballs rise to the top; that’s how you know it’s done!

Serve

Give the broth one last taste and make any final adjustments to the seasoning. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions and a generous crack of black pepper. Serve immediately alongside a hot bowl of jasmine rice. The traditional way to eat this is to spoon the soup directly over your rice, letting the broth soak into the grains. Enjoy!

What is Canh Mồng Tơi?

Canh Mồng Tơi is a traditional Vietnamese home-style soup made with malabar spinach (rau mồng tơi). It is a light and nourishing soup typically served as part of a Vietnamese family meal (cơm gia đình) alongside steamed jasmine rice and other dishes. It is rarely found at restaurants because it is considered a home-cooked comfort food.

Where can I buy Malabar spinach?

Malabar spinach (rau mồng tơi) is available at most Asian supermarkets year-round. Look for bundles with vibrant green, heart-shaped leaves. If your local store does not carry it, ask the produce department to order it. In a pinch, regular spinach can work as a substitute, though the texture and flavor will be different.

What is the difference between Malabar spinach and regular spinach?

Malabar spinach grows as a vine and has thicker, heart-shaped leaves compared to regular spinach. When cooked, it has a slightly mucilaginous texture (similar to okra’s), which gives the soup a light body. Regular spinach is thinner, wilts much faster, and does not thicken the broth the same way.