Vietnamese Caramel Salmon

Name: Vietnamese Caramel Salmon
Total time: 30 min
Yield: For Two
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 salmon fillets; 1/4 cup sugar; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 1 shallot, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup water

Vietnamese caramel salmon, inspired by ca kho, simmers rich salmon in a glossy, savory-sweet caramel sauce. The deep amber caramel balances fish sauce and black pepper for an addictive sweet-salty glaze. Serve it over steamed rice to soak up every bit of the sauce.

Vietnamese Gluten-Free Dairy-Free High-Protein Pescatarian Stovetop Dinner Comfort Food Salmon

⏱ 30 min
📊 easy
🍽 For Two

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 shallot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Heat the sugar in a pan over medium heat until it melts into a deep amber caramel.
Carefully add the water, then the fish sauce, shallot, and garlic, and stir into a smooth sauce.
Nestle the salmon fillets into the sauce.

Simmer gently, spooning the sauce over the fish, for 10 to 12 minutes.
Season with plenty of black pepper as it reduces to a glaze.
Serve the salmon and sauce over steamed rice.

💡 Chef's tip

Watch the caramel closely as it darkens; pull it from the heat the moment it turns deep amber, since it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.

Cooking sugar into a dark caramel before adding the fish sauce is the foundation of this dish, giving the sauce its signature bittersweet depth and mahogany color.