Rinse all ingredients. Cut the fish into pieces, then marinate with a little fish sauce, seasoning powder, sugar, pepper, and chopped green onion for 10 minutes. Wipe off excess marinade, then lightly fry the fish in a little oil so it stays firm when cooked.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the fish and its marinade. Once boiling again, add tomatoes, pineapple, and season with tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. In a separate pan, sauté a small bowl of chopped onion and garlic until fragrant and set aside.

Add taro stem (or celery) and okra. When you turn off the heat, add bean sprouts and chili pepper. Ladle the soup into a bowl, top with the sautéed onion and garlic, and culantro. Serve with a small bowl of fish sauce with sliced chili for dipping the fish.