Vietnamese Caramelized Salmon (Ca Hoi Kho)

4.63 from 37 ratings

Vietnamese Caramelized Salmon (Ca Hoi Kho)

A super simple weeknight meal that includes salmon caramelized with fish sauce and dark brown sugar and served with minced shallots, ginger, and garlic.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: ca hoi kho, Vietnamese caramelized salmon

Servings: people

Calories: 321kcal

Author: Becca Du

Equipment

Large Saute Pan

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the salmon, fish sauce, and pepper in a bowl. Coat the salmon with the pepper and fish sauce. Marinate for 15 minutes. For the best flavor, marinate for at least an 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. Flip the salmon after 5 minutes so both sides get even caramelization.
Add the green onions. Stir in the green onions and serve!

Video

Notes

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.

Nutrition