Vietnamese Caramelized Fish (Cá kho)
Fish gently braised in caramel, coconut water, and fish sauce until tender and coated in a glossy glaze.
Cá kho has regional and family variations; this version combines firm fish with caramel, fish sauce, and coconut water. Gentle simmering helps the fish hold its shape while the sauce clings to each piece.
Method
- 01
Prepare the fish and aromatics
Cut the fish into large pieces. Thinly slice the shallots and finely chop the garlic; cut the scallions and set them aside for serving.
15 min - 02
Make the caramel sauce
Put the palm sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar melt and turn dark amber, gently swirling the pan. Carefully add the coconut water, then stir in the fish sauce and black pepper until the caramel dissolves.
5 min - 03
Add the shallots and garlic
Add the shallots and garlic to the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes so they soften slightly.
2 min - 04
Gently braise the fish
Arrange the fish in a single layer in the sauce. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes; uncover and continue for another 6–8 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish occasionally. Do not stir it.
20 min - 05
Finish and serve
Remove the pan from the heat when the sauce is glossy and coats the fish. Scatter the scallions over the top and serve hot.
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
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State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.