Vietnamese hot pot with crab and sour bamboo

Ingredients

• 800 g of freshwater crab (or mud crab)
• 400 g of sour bamboo shoots
• 3 tomatoes
• 4 taro stalks
• 150 g of gooseberries
• Half a pineapple
• 1 bunch of new onions
• 1 bunch of long cilantro (culantro)
• 3 dried shallots
• fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon of powdered broth
• salt
• pepper
• 2 lemons
• 1 fresh chili pepper
• 2 sour tamarind fruits (or 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar)
• Annatto oil
• 1 bunch of watercress
• 200 g of green mustard
• 200 g of silken tofu or fried tofu
• 400 g of rice vermicelli

Wash the crabs, separate the shells, remove the apron, and collect the meat in a small bowl. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over it to reduce the smell.

Finely chop the shallots and sauté them until golden brown. Add the coral and allow it to infuse its flavor, then set it aside in a bowl.

Crush the crab meat, or blend it with three cups of water, until you have a very smooth mixture.

Strain out the solids, pour the liquid into a saucepan, and add 1 teaspoon of salt and a little bit of powdered broth.

Heat the broth almost to a boil, then reduce the heat and stir gently with a wooden spoon. When it simmers, the crab meat will rise to the surface: skim off the foam and set it aside, keeping the broth separate.

Peel the pineapple, remove the core, and cut it into slices. Cut the tomatoes into quarters.

Wash the taro stems, remove the fibers, and cut them at an angle. Do the same with the gombos.

Quickly rinse the bamboo shoots with cold water, cut them into pieces, and let them drain.

Separate the white and green parts of the new onions, cut the white part in half, and chop the green part into pieces. Wash the cilantro thoroughly.

Wash the spinach thoroughly and drain. Then, chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the annatto oil in a saucepan, sauté the shallots, then add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt to help them break down quickly.

Add the bamboo shoots and pineapple, and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour approximately two bowls of cold water, add the tamarind or rice vinegar, adjust the seasoning, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then, add the filtered crab broth.

Transfer everything to a large serving dish, add the crab meat and coral, bring to a boil, then add the green beans, taro stalks, onions, cilantro, tofu, and other vegetables. Serve with vermicelli and a spicy fish sauce.