Vietnamese Caramel Fish (Cá Kho)
Fish simmered in a dark caramel sauce until glossy and savory-sweet. The caramel is made from tapa dulce — so this Vietnamese classic is tailor-made for the Tico pantry.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbfirm fish (cut in chunks)
- 1/3 cuptapa dulce or brown sugar
- 3 tbspfish sauce
- 4 clovesgarlic (minced)
- 1 tbspginger (minced)
- 2 green onions
- 1/2 cupwater
- 1 tbspoil
- black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Make the caramel: melt the tapa dulce with a splash of water in a pot until it darkens to deep amber (watch closely).
- 2
Add the oil, garlic, and ginger, then the fish sauce and water to make a savory caramel sauce.
- 3
Nestle in the fish, spoon sauce over, cover, and simmer gently until the fish is cooked and the sauce is syrupy, about 15 minutes.
15:00 - 4
Finish with lots of black pepper and green onion. Serve with white rice to soak up the sauce.
Notes
Tapa dulce makes a richer caramel than refined sugar — a perfect Tico swap. Don't stir hard or the fish breaks; baste instead. Works with corvina, tilapia, or any firm fish. Photo: Adobe Stock (#386953423), licensed.
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