Ca Kho To is one of our favourite things to order when we go out for Vietnamese This classic one pot wonder consists of beautifully braised fish in a rich salty caramel sauce. Traditionally made with catfish from the Mekong, Ca Kho To is often accompanied with Canh Chua Ca, a sweet and sour tamarind based soup made with leftover fish heads.

Trying to decide between these two proves to be a tricky task and we always end up ordering both. Indulgence is a must when it comes to food!

I’ve never really considered making Ca Kho To at home because it looks like an incredibly hard dish to cook. But in reality, the recipe has very few steps and doesn’t require much skill at all. The key really is to marinate the fish prior to cooking and keep cooking temperatures low so you don’t dry out the fish. You can also make this dish without the claypot, but I really love the earthy quality it brings to stewy dishes.

The below recipe from Ravenous Couple is spot on and tastes fantastic. The caramel sauce in particular has a real complexity about it, balanced between sweet, salty and peppery flavours.

Needless to say, I’ll be adding this dish to my weeknight dinner repetoire, especially with all the cold nights expected ahead!

Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Braised Fish in Clay Pot)

Adapted from Ravenous Couple

500g of barramundi or silver perch cutlets (around 3 or 4)
4 tbs fish sauce
4 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs minced onions
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs black pepper
3 shallots, sliced 1 inches long
3 tbs palm sugar syrup (or coco caramel sauce)
1 can of young coconut juice
Cooking oil

1. Clean the fish steaks, rinse well and pat dry. Marinade with fish sauce, sugar, pepper, garlic, and shallots for about 1 hour, less if you are pressed for time.

2. In pot, heat about 1 tbs of cooking oil on medium high and add the marinaded fish. Allow to sear and brown for about 2-3 before searing opposite side for another few minutes.

3. Transfer to a claypot and add the palm sugar syrup and just enough coconut juice to the level of the fish steaks. Cover and turn to low heat and allow to simmer for about 25 min (longer if you want it really soft), checking a few times to make sure that it’s not reduced too much.

4. The fish will eventually caramelize and brown, as will the sauce which will be a thick gooey consistency. Taste sauce and make final adjustments with fish sauce or sugar. Turn off heat and add additional fresh cracked pepper, green onions, and chilli if desired.

Serve with a steaming hot bowl of rice!