Wednesday 13 June 2007

Cá kho tộ (fish braised in caramel sauce)


This is the first time I've tried a recipe which doesn't particularly state the amount of spices and seasoning. The recipe is from Ms Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van, the equivalence of Nigella Lawson of Britain :D.
Method:
-season fish (any type- I use cod, the best type is catfish)with salt+ pepper+ sugar and set aside
-heat up pan, add oil +1.5 tbsp sugar +fish sauce -> wailt till the fish sauce and sugar have dissolved and thickened, then add fish fillet + more fish sauce +sugar +1tbsp sesame oil
-add enough water to cover fish and cook on medium low heat for at least 30 minutes, then turn heat up to thicken sauce
- add spring onions + chopped chillies and more pepper
-serve with steamed rice
My maternal grandma (ba` ngoai) is the best cook when it comes to making ca kho to and other quintessential southern Vietnam dishes. :sigh: I miss her cooking so much...

5 comments:

Anh said...

Huh, so you guys from the South do put spring onion in Ca Kho! ;) We from the North normally go without it. :P

Don't you think this is truly the national dish of Vietnam (besides Pho of course). We have so many different versions and they are all so yummy. I'll make another country-style version, soon. :)

Wandering Chopsticks said...

I made this recently too. With tuna filets. I used some leftover coconut milk and some bacon and it was good.

Hedgehog said...

Anh: ba` ngoai always puts chopped spring onions in ca kho to so I just automatically do the same :D Everyone knows pho but I personally prefer this to pho. When you do your country style version, pls post it on your blog for us all to see/admire :D
Wandering chopsticks: it's gorgeous with all sorts of fish isn't it. I didn't know we can use bacon as well. My grandma sometimes put pork in ca kho to but I never thought of using bacon. Would that affect the saltiness of the dish though?

Wandering Chopsticks said...

I only put a few strips of bacon. Chopped them into bits, fried them crispy, and drained off the fat. It added a nice flavor dimension to the fish. Didn't make it saltier. But I tend not to make my food too salty either. :P I've seen sliced shiitake mushrooms at the bottom of some ca kho too. I'll post my recipe soon. I have such a backlog! But feel free to request anything in particular. I have no order to my posts, just depends on what I feel like writing about, or what's somewhat related to what I was writing about the day or week before.

Anh said...

Hedgehog, I finished the dish already. :P Next time, ok?