Vietnamese Fish Simmered in Caramel Sauce (Ca Kho To)

From: katzluva

On Jan 14, 2007

I know a lot of people gave this a high rating and all..but it turned out to be really, really salty. I had to add about two cups of water just to neutralize the flavor.

From: Nose

On Apr 15, 2005

To go with this, I made jasmine rice, greens, and Vietnamese iced coffee. Mine was good, but insanely salty - but I reduced the recipe and I think I cooked it longer than it said, so I suspect there was user error involved.

From: Jim_Minh

On Sep 13, 2003

This is almost exactly how the Vietnamese make Ca Kho To, except they use a heavy covered clay pot, and they do not stir while cooking. The saucepan works almost as well. Make sure it is very heavy. It is essential to have good heat distribution or the fish will stick to the pan. Also make sure that all of the fish has at least partial contact with the caramel sauce while cooking.

From: multi-cultural foodie

On Aug 17, 2005

This is a favorite with my family everytime we go back to vietnam, so i can vouch for the authenticity of my tips: **for authentic "ca kho to", try leaving out the ginger, and when the pot comes to a boil, before simmering, add coconut juice (not coconut milk), just enough to cover the fish filets, which should be with the bone in, cross-sections, instead of traditional filets found in the west--if possible. then bring everything, including coconut juice, to a boil, then simmer until the sauce is reduced and the flavor is to your liking. without the coconut juice, it's just basic "ca kho"--still fantastic, mind you...**try this variation for a different "ca kho"...add garlic and finely diced fresh tomatoes to the shallots and chilli (still no ginger), and if possible, use sardines (like the kind found in mediterranean cuisine). this is also a fabulous version of "ca kho".