In Vietnam, fish simmered in caramel sauce is everyday soul food. The dark, bittersweet, savory fish is a great with rice. Depending on the cook and her/his resources, such a fish kho ("kaw") can be super intensely flavored and salty so as to get people to eat more rice than fish.
You can simmer most any kind of fish, big or small. On my last visit to my folks, my mom and dad served us a trout kho with strips of orange peel. It was full of citrus fragrance and not at all bitter, given the fact that the white pith is kept as part of the mix.
My husband liked it so much he suggested we make it when we got home. Our neighbor has a tangelo tree, so I used one of the fruits. But you can feature orange like my folks. If you use store-bought fruit, do try to buy an organic one or remember to scrub the wax of the fruit before using it.
If you have caramel sauce in your pantry, this is a great way to fix trout, which by the way, is among the good sustainable fish to consume in the United States. Caramel sauce is a stealth Vietnamese staple that's something worth having on hand.
Fish kho is great for advance preparation as it actually tastes better after sitting around for a couple of days. It ages well, I suppose.
Trout and Orange Peel Simmered in Caramel Sauce
Ca Kho Cam
Serves 4 to 6 along with 2 or 3 other dishes
1 (1 ½ to 1 ¾ pound) whole gutted trout, trimmed of fins and cut into 1-inch steaks (keep or discard the head)
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Caramel Sauce
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
Peel of ½ orange or tangelo, cut into ¼-inch-wide, 2-inch-long strips
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1. In a saucepan, combine the fish with the peppercorns, salt, caramel sauce and fish sauce, coating the fish well. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.
2. Add the peel, oil, and onion to the saucepan. Gently stir thing so that these seasonings are well distributed.
3. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to simmer gently, and cook for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Uncover, add water to just cover the fish. Replace the lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and adjust the heat, as necessary, to maintain a gentle
simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid level has reduced by half.
4. Turn off the heat, taste, and make any flavor adjustments before serving. When making in advance, partially cover with the lid, and allow to cool completely before refrigerating. Reheat over medium or medium-low heat, adding a little water to facilitate things, as necessary. Enjoy with lots of rice.
Rosa says
I love beef in caramel sauce, so I would, without a doubt, enjoy that delicious fish dish! Interesting and original!
cheers,
Rosa
Rosa says
I meant pork in caramel sauce...
White On Rice Couple says
I like the addition of citrus to brighten up the concentrated flavors of ca kho. My mom lives off of ca kho and will suggest this to her. She's such a traditionalist, sticking to her tried and true recipe of adding scallions and occasional fresh pineapple. Thank you!
Graham says
This looks great. We often do much the same with mackerel. BTW - in the photo, is that really trout? Must be quite a big one, yeah? Or is it a salmon. Am curious 🙂
Andrea Nguyen says
Graham, that's truly trout. The pan is a 2 1/2 quart, about 6 to 7 inches wide so the fish steaks look salmonish due to the caramel sauce, which turns it a mahogany color. However, it was medium-large trout. We live large in the U.S.! 🙂
Graham says
🙂 Just WHAT do they put in the water over your way... Our trout are rather tiddly in comparison. I'll be cokig this tonight though, with mackerel again I think.
Andrea Nguyen says
I wonder too, Graham. Commercially sold trout are mostly farm-raised in the U.S. I've seen ones that border on small salmon. It's so American, to eat large portions. Gone are the days when a panfried truite would be one serving.
Eric says
I tried a kho this evening using kumquats--a little different flavor, perhaps, but the same kind of idea! (And you don't have to peel, just slice moderately thin and toss in)
Thanh Viet says
My mom use to cook it 20mn every day until it is really kho... as maquerel is fragile when hot, you cook only 1 side the first day, then wait until next day, turn the fish while cold, and then cook it for another 20mn. Same procedure for 3-4 days. Then we were allowed to eat it. It was pure torture to wait for 4 days as the smell is so good ! She used dark soy sauce and 1 red pepper too.
Andrea Nguyen says
Your mother was a patient cook and so was her family! Nice tips. Thanks.
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Twinkle says
I love this dish (especially when served with canh chua) but I hate picking out all the small bones. Would it be okay to substitute filets instead of the steaks?
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Sammy Vu says
When I was home, my mom used to cook simmered trout in a huge pot so we can spare it later days during Tet holiday if some of our family members get sick of Chung cake and other dishes. I remembered I used to have more than 2 bowls of rice when 'ca kho' is served. I have never had orange peels in simmered fish before. Maybe I will try this time. Thanks for your recipe 😀
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