Vietnamese Caramelized Salmon (Ca Hoi Kho)

One of the benefits of living with my parents is that I get to eat so much yummy food, a lot of which I post on this blog. It’s sort of my way of documenting my family recipes. I had this Vietnamese caramelized salmon (Ca Hoi Kho) last week, and I was like wow this is so good it has to go on the blog. So here is the recipe! I love the balance of sweet, salty, and umami flavors, similar to ca kho to. It is also so so simple to make and makes for the perfect weeknight meal.

What does kho mean?

Kho is a method of cooking in Vietnamese cuisine where protein such as beef, chicken, or fish is braised in fish sauce and sugar over low heat. Some popular recipes using this cooking method include thit kho, bo kho, ca kho to, and ga kho. Not only does it make food taste so good, but it’s also an easy way to make a tasty dinner in less than an hour and requires very few ingredients. This was a cooking method my mom used a lot when I was a kid, especially if she was tired and ran out of ideas for dinner.

Key Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Salmon – I used salmon fillets for this recipe, but feel free to use any cut of salmon when you make it. Salmon steaks are also a great option.
• Fish sauce – Adds salty and umami flavors to this dish. It also helps add that nice brown color to the salmon. I personally like Three Crabs fish sauce, but feel free to use any kind of fish sauce you can find.
• Dark brown sugar – The dark brown sugar adds sweetness and is the most responsible for the pretty brown color of the salmon. If you don’t have dark brown sugar, light brown sugar also works. The only difference is your salmon won’t get that rich brown color like in the pictures.
• Neutral oil – Use any kind of light colored cooking oil for this dish. I used extra light olive oil in my recipe. You can also use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
• Ginger, shallots and garlic for flavor – All these ingredients add flavor and help tone down the fishy flavor of the salmon.

How to make Vietnamese caramelized salmon

First, combine the salmon, fish sauce, and pepper in a bowl. Make sure to coat the salmon with the pepper and fish sauce. Marinate for 15 minutes. For the best flavor, marinate for at least 1 hour. Once done marinating, separate the marinade from the salmon. Set the marinade aside for later. Combine dark brown sugar and oil in a large pan. Heat and stir over medium high heat until the sugar melts and becomes a dark brown color. Next, add the salmon. Sear until brown on both sides (~30 seconds per side). Add the ginger, shallots, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Lower the heat to low. Add the marinade you reserved, and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Turn the salmon after 5 minutes, so both sides get even caramelization. Lastly, add the green onions. Stir in the green onions and serve!

Tips on how to make the perfect Vietnamese caramelized salmon

Why do you have to separate the salmon from the marinade?

Separating the marinade helps you get the nice sear on the salmon. If you were to add the salmon with the marinade, you won’t be able to get a nice sear.

What do I do if my dish looks a little dry?

After you add the marinade back to the salmon and simmer, you may find that the dish may look like a little dry for you or you may not have enough sauce. If this happens, add a little bit of water.

What do I eat with this salmon dish?

I would recommend white rice (check out my guide on how to cook rice for cooking instructions!). Because there are such intense flavors, you need something more bland to balance it out. I would also recommend fresh veggies as well like raw cucumbers or lettuce.

How do you store ca hoi kho?

Store this dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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