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Home » Recipes » 30 Minute Meals

Aug 22, 2021(updated Jun 9, 2022)

Vietnamese Caramelized Salmon (Ca Hoi Kho)

4.59 from 24 votes

20 Comments

by Becca Du

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Vietnamese caramelized salmon

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.

ingredients

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.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

  • Salmon – I used salmon fillets for this recipe, but feel free to use any cut of salmon when you make it.
  • Fish sauce – Adds salty and umami flavors to this dish. It also helps add that nice brown color to the salmon.
  • Black pepper for seasoning
  • 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.
  • Green onions (optional) for garnish
marinating the salmon

Making my 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 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!

Vietnamese caramelized salmon

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. 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.

Vietnamese caramelized salmon

Did you make this dish?

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

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Vietnamese caramelized salmon

Vietnamese Caramelized Salmon (Ca Hoi Kho)

Becca Du
A super simple weeknight meal that includes salmon caramelized with fish sauce and dark brown sugar and served with minced shallots, ginger, and garlic.
4.59 from 24 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hr 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4 people
Calories 321 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 ¼ lb salmon cut into 1 inch thick pieces
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • ¼ oz ginger thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp green onions optional, thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Combine the salmon, fish sauce, and pepper in a bowl. Coat the salmon with the pepper and fish sauce. Marinate for 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.
  • Add the salmon. Sear until brown on both sides (~30 seconds per side).
  • Add the ginger, shallots, and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.
  • Lower the heat to low. Add the marinade you reserved from step 2. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Turn the salmon after 5 minutes so both sides get even caramelization.
  • Add the green onions. Stir in the green onions and serve!

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. What do I eat with this salmon dish? – I would recommend white rice. 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 30gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 1481mgPotassium: 834mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 92IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
Keyword ca hoi kho, Vietnamese caramelized salmon
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jammy says

    September 21, 2021 at 4:31 am

    1 star
    This recipe is disgusting. It came out horribly.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      September 21, 2021 at 7:26 am

      Hi Jammy. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you! Let me know if you need help for future recipes.

      Reply
    • Cindy says

      January 12, 2022 at 7:38 am

      I’m sorry I have to say something. Not every recipe will fit your tastebuds but to say it’s disgusting is just plain rude to the author and to the culture. This recipe remind people like me of home! My mom used to make this for me. I am thankful to the author for sharing her beloved recipe. Keep up your good work!

      Reply
      • Becca says

        January 12, 2022 at 9:04 am

        Thank you for saying that. I agree. I don’t think all my recipes are for everyone, but you can say how it doesn’t work for you in nicer terms. I’m even okay with 1 star ratings. It however does hurt when you call my recipe “disgusting”. So I really appreciate you saying that. 🙂

        Reply
        • Katie says

          January 15, 2023 at 3:58 pm

          5 stars
          Great recipe! FUCK Lynn and Jammy

          Reply
          • Becca Du says

            January 16, 2023 at 1:08 pm

            LOL thank you so much!

            Reply
  2. Lynn says

    October 9, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    1 star
    I wished I read the comment above. Greatly disappointed. Agree, disgusting.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      October 10, 2021 at 1:52 pm

      I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. Thanks for trying the recipe.

      Reply
  3. Alex says

    December 2, 2021 at 12:34 am

    I also read the above comments and have to say that I wholeheartedly disagree. This recipe was fantastic, easy to follow and brought forth such wonderful flavors! Coming from someone who never learned how to make a proper cá kho before, this was a fantastic recipe to help me get back to my roots. Thanks a bunch Becca!!

    Reply
    • Becca says

      December 2, 2021 at 10:04 am

      Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for saying that! So excited you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  4. Myra says

    January 11, 2022 at 7:42 pm

    I (and the adults at the table) really enjoyed this! Flavor profile was perfect with the balance of sweet savory, might consider a little heat for perfection!

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 11, 2022 at 9:19 pm

      Amazing! So excited you enjoyed it 🙂 Ooohhh a little heat sounds like a great addition!

      Reply
  5. Kim says

    February 22, 2022 at 3:58 am

    5 stars
    Deliciously salty and sweet! Thought I might miss the fatty taste of catfish but I didn’t.

    Reply
    • Becca Du says

      February 22, 2022 at 9:42 am

      Yay! Super excited to hear that!

      Reply
  6. Kevin says

    June 20, 2022 at 8:15 am

    Yummy. I used skin on filets and added cocorico soda for more sauce.

    Good job!

    Reply
    • Becca Du says

      June 20, 2022 at 8:38 am

      Yum! I love cocorico soda! Thank you for making the recipe!

      Reply
  7. Lynne says

    October 17, 2022 at 6:22 pm

    hello
    I have been searching for this recipe ever since I had the dish in Nyc china town three years ago. this is the closest I came to that spectacular recipe! thank you!!!! my friends and family were impressed!!!!!

    Reply
    • Becca Du says

      October 17, 2022 at 6:48 pm

      Yay! Thank you so much for trying the recipe! I’m so excited you liked it!

      Reply
  8. Stuart says

    December 28, 2022 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    Great dish— have tried other recipes for caramelized fish but this worked much better than those that have you make a caramel sauce. Delicious!

    Reply
    • Becca Du says

      December 28, 2022 at 9:37 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this dish! It’s a favorite in my house too!

      Reply

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About Me


Hello I'm Becca! I believe any day can be made better with a bowl of noodle soup. Here you will find recipes from my Chinese/Vietnamese heritage and stories from my experience living here in beautiful LA. Grab a drink and stay awhile! Read More

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