Recipe for Vietnamese Braised Fish (Cá Kho Tộ)
Cá Kho Tộ is a comforting Vietnamese braised fish dish made with tender basa, caramelized brown sugar, fish sauce, garlic, shallot, black pepper, and Thai chilies. The fish is simmered until coated in a rich, glossy, savoury-sweet sauce and served hot with steamed rice. This Southern Vietnamese classic is easy to prepare with frozen basa, which is widely available and often cleaned before packaging. It makes a delicious weeknight meal and brings the comforting flavours of Vietnamese home cooking to your table.Please refer to the video instructions at the end of the recipe if you’d like to see how to make Vietnamese Braised Fish (Cá Kho Tộ) in action.
Equipment
- 1 pan or clay pot
Ingredients
- 550 grams basa fish
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced shallot
- 1 green onion
- 3-4 Thai chilies
- ½ tablespoon pork lard
Caramel Oil:
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Braising Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ tablespoon mushroom powder
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients:Rub the fish with salt to remove any fishy odour, then rinse thoroughly under cold water. Remove any clotted blood from the fish, as it can cause an unpleasant smell during cooking. Pat the fish dry with paper towels.In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, mushroom powder, brown sugar, black pepper, and water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.Separate the white and green parts of the green onion, then finely chop both parts. Set the white parts aside with the minced garlic and shallot for sautéing, and reserve the chopped green parts for garnish. Finely chop one Thai chili and set it aside to garnish the dish at the end.
- Cook:Heat the cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cook until it melts and turns a golden brown. Turn off the heat immediately to prevent burning.Add the minced garlic, minced shallot, and the white parts of the green onion. Stir until fragrant.Arrange the fish slices in the pan and lightly pan-fry for about 1 minute per side.Turn the heat back on and pour in the prepared braising sauce. Gently flip the fish to coat both sides evenly.Once the sauce begins to thicken, add enough hot water to partially cover the fish.Add the pork lard and whole Thai chilies.Braise over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, gently turning the fish once or twice to prevent sticking and ensure even flavour.When most of the liquid has reduced into a glossy sauce, turn off the heat. Garnish with the green parts of the green onion and sliced chili.
- Serve:Transfer the braised fish to a serving plate and spoon the rich sauce over the top. Serve immediately with steamed rice for a delicious, authentic Vietnamese meal.