Cá Kho Tộ

Method

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1. Rinse the fish and pat it dry, then toss it with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce and half the pepper. Leave 20 minutes.

   Mark done

2. For the caramel, heat the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a heavy pan without stirring until it turns a deep amber — darker than you would want for a dessert, almost the colour of strong tea.

   Mark done

3. Stand back and add the 4 tablespoons of hot water. It will spit violently. Swirl until smooth and set aside.

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4. Heat the oil in a clay pot or heavy casserole and fry the shallots, garlic and ginger for 3 minutes.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

5. Lay the fish in a single layer on top and pour over the caramel, the rest of the fish sauce and the coconut water.

   Mark done

6. Add the chillies and the remaining pepper. The liquid should come about halfway up the fish.

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7. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes, spooning the sauce over twice.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

8. Uncover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes more, basting often, until the sauce has reduced to a thick, dark glaze clinging to the fish.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

9. Add the spring onions for the last minute and grind plenty more black pepper over.

   Mark done

10. Serve straight from the pot with rice and sliced cucumber.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Take the caramel darker than feels comfortable. That bitterness is the flavour.
• Uncover at the end. A covered pot never reduces to a glaze.
• Coarse black pepper, and a lot of it. It is a defining note, not a seasoning.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Sliced cucumber
• A clear soup

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days, better on day two. Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.