Ca Kho To (Fish Simmered in Caramel Sauce)

Vietnamese kho (pronounced “kaw”) dishes are comforting braised foods cooked in clay pots, and flavored with nuoc mau, a delectable caramel sauce with deep molasses and coffee tones. This kho recipe features fish (cá), but pork, chicken, seafood, tofu or eggs are also used.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs catfish or 1 1/2 lbs red snapper fillets , cut up into about 4 inch pieces
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (preferably Three Crabs Brand)
• 4 shallots , thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chili pepper
• 2 slices ginger , julienned
• ground black pepper

Directions:

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, cook the sugar over low to medium heat, swirling the pan constantly, until brown and caramelized

Remove pan from heat and stir the fish sauce into the caramel

It will smoke slightly

Return the pan to low heat and gently boil for about couple minutes while stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved

Stir in the shallots, chili and ginger

Add the fish in the caramel sauce and sprinkle with black pepper

Bring to a boil

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan

Simmer for 30-45 minutes, turning the fish occasionally and carefully

Serve with rice

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