Vietnamese Claypot Caramelised Fish Cá Kho Tộ

I got to know almost this dish when I watched Masterchef United States of America back inward 2012. Christine Ha, a blind prepare of Vietnamese descent served this homey dish to the judges and won their hearts. Sounded delicious!

And and then, I tried to make this myself. I institute Christine'sec recipe here on Doctor'second TV. The featured recipe wasn't the total version, as well as I changed it based on how she said she added kokosnoot soda and approximately recipes phone call for birds center chilli, only other than that, I simply tried to follow her method in addition to the recipe.

I didn't brand the pickles similar how Christine did, because I ran out of vinegar at the fourth dimension, merely I mean it actually does get groovy amongst pickles to remainder the sugariness of the caramel sauce. So I but served my fish amongst sliced cucumbers.

The original Vietnamese version uses catfish, simply I personally think other fishes tin can be used, every bit long every bit they tin can live braised. Catfish cooked this fashion surprisingly, isn't equally fragile every bit it commonly is, too nonetheless, it doesn't gustatory modality dry similar about body of water fishes after braising.

FYI, I used wild catfish from Perak river.

Vietnamese Claypot Caramelised Fish

Inspired past Christine Ha
Recipe reference: MasterChef, The Ultimate Cookbook, as seen on Doctor's TV

350gm catfish (patin), cutting into i inch thick slices
ii shallots, sliced
2 garlic clove, bashed
ane inch ginger sliced
1 birds heart chilli
ii Tbsp oil or more
Fish sauce to gustatory modality

Caramel sauce
four Tbsp sugar (50g)
ii Tbsp H2O
1 loving cup coconut H2O (or merely H2O)

ane. Make caramel sauce: Put saccharide too H2O into a heavy based saucepan. Heat it on medium heat together with permit it make until it starts to dark-brown. Observe it carefully that it turns amber, not likewise nighttime or else it will live bitter. Add in kokosnoot water together with ready until the caramel is all melted inwards the coconut H2O.
2. Heat a pan, add inward petroleum, pose inward shallots, garlic together with ginger too make until they turn slightly gilt.
3. Put inward catfish slices as well as lightly dark-brown the fish's surface. Transfer everything to a claypot or a stovetop casserole pot.
four. Pour inward caramel sauce together with add in the chilli (if wanted). Bring to a boil, add in fish sauce together with simmer on low rut for xxx minutes.
5. Serve it inwards the claypot.