The ingredients of fish sour soup include fish and sour leaves.

Cay la chua or sour-leaf tree is a climber, growing on the banks of rivers and streams. Leaves are a bit like crocodile leaves (but smaller), and have a slightly sweet and sour taste. Sour leaves can be cooked with many types of fish such as goby, carp, etc.

To prepare for the dish, the cook must clean the fish and scoop out its innards. After the fish is cooked in boiling water, the cook adds seasonings and other ingredients into the fish, including fish sauce and salt.

After fifteen-minute boiling, add the sour leaves.

When the water become yellow, the aroma and sourness of the sour leaves are blended with the sweetness of the fish water, you will have a delicious and attractive bowl of sour fish soup.