Our family’s Cá Kho Tộ recipe is the EASIEST and TASTIEST way to slow cook fish! The braising juices thicken until gloriously sticky, which is magical over hot steaming rice. For such a budget-friendly cut, you’ll be surprised at how incredibly moist and fall apart tender it is!
For a crunchy seafood version, try our Tôm Rim (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp)!
A Vietnamese family’s comfort food
You may be surprised to know that when Vietnamese families go out for dinner, the dishes ordered aren’t too different to those eaten at home. A typical night out would look something like this: bubbling Cá Kho Tộ served smoking hot in a claypot along with Canh Chua (Sweet and Sour Soup), white rice and a few vegetable side dishes.
Sounds rather simple, right?
The Chinese in me (who often enjoys restaurant food we don’t make at home) was always confused by this.
But as I watch the fish steaks in my Cá Kho Tộ slowly caramelizing away and thickening into that glorious sweet savory sauce, I can finally understand why:
You can’t go wrong with hearty, wholesome comfort food.
Not to mention, this recipe is ridiculously easy to whip up for weeknight dinners and can be made with any of your favorite fish.
Our secret is to keep it braising low and slow so that it’s super tender and fragrant. This helps the natural juices infuse into the sauce for the best sticky flavor bomb to pour all over your rice!
Why this recipe works
- The fish steaks are marinated in aromatics and sauces for an iconic Vietnamese flavor profile.
- Coconut water is used for the braising, which results in a gorgeous gentle sweetness.
- Our family’s Cá Kho Tộ is cooked low and slow to achieve a juicy fall-apart fish.
What you’ll need
For the marinade
About the spice
The amount of chili you use is entirely up to personal preference, and you can leave it out entirely if you like. Some families like to have it cut up and add in during the braising while others like to keep it whole.
The longer you leave it in there, the spicier it will be. If you prefer it less spicy, put it in towards the end of the braising or just as a garnish.
For the caramel
About the sugar
We prefer using brown sugar varieties like palm sugar for a richer color and flavor. However, any that you have on hand will work so long as it’s adjusted to taste.
How to make this recipe
Combine the fish with the sugar, chicken bouillon powder, pepper, fish sauce and oil as well as half of the garlic and red shallots. Let it marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes.
To make the caramel, heat up a claypot on low heat and add the oil and sugar in. Let it brown.
Note: Work VERY quickly with the sugar because it will burn if left on the heat for too long.
Pour in the coconut water and turn the heat up to high.
Add the fish in and let it simmer for 30 seconds, then gently flip it over to coat the sauce on the other side. Pour the remaining marinade over it.
Let the fish braise on a low-medium heat for 1 hour or until soft with the lid partially on. The sauce should be slightly thick and sticky when it’s done. If you plan to add chili, you can put it in now.
Tip: Scoop the sauce onto the fish every 15 minutes to make sure every part is covered.
Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately with hot rice!
FAQs
Cá Kho Tộ is commonly made using catfish, but Grandma has used other types before. Really, any fish that has few bones and lots of meaty flesh (such as salmon, barramundi, basa, cod or sea bass) is ideal for this recipe.
It’s also delicious when there’s a generous amount of fat as it melts in your mouth after braising.
We used Squid Brand Fish Sauce for this recipe because that’s what we had on hand, but there are many other varieties including Red Boat and Son Fish Sauce. Each will have their own unique flavor profiles so make sure to season to taste.
Sometimes Grandma will use a large saucepan with a flat bottom, but skillets and pots will work just as well so long as they have a straight base for the ingredients to lay on.
Tips for the best results
- Use coconut water. As with any Vietnamese braising recipe (like our family’s Thịt Kho), coconut water adds a subtle sweetness that gets infused into the ingredients.
- Adjust the heat while the sugar is cooking. Sugar burns easily, so keep an eye on the sauce. If it’s darkening too fast, IMMEDIATELY turn the heat down to low.
- Use a spatula to flip. The catfish will become very soft during the braising, so use a spatula to avoid breaking any flesh.
What to serve it with
- Keep the comfort food theme with some Vietnamese Chicken Ragu (Ga Ragu).
- Bò Lúc Lắc (Vietnamese Shaking Beef) will always be a favorite.
- Freshen it up with sliced cucumbers or a side of Stir Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste.
- Sup Mang Cua (Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup) will warm up every soul.
- Serve Avocado Smoothies (Sinh Tố Bơ) to complete this family meal!
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Cá Kho Tộ (Vietnamese Braised Fish)
Equipment
- Claypot
Ingredients
For The Marinade
- 650 g / 1.4 lb fish (preferably in steak form)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 red shallot (finely chopped)
- 3 chili (optional)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cooking oil (with a neutral flavor)
For The Sauce
- 1 US cup coconut water (or water)
- 4 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- spring onion (finely chopped; to garnish)
Instructions
- Combine the fish with the sugar, chicken bouillon powder, pepper, fish sauce and oil as well as half of the garlic and red shallots. Let it marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes.
- To make the caramel, heat up a claypot on low heat and add the oil and sugar in. Let it brown.Note: Work VERY quickly with the sugar because it will burn if left on the heat for too long.
- Add the remaining garlic and red shallots to cook for 20 seconds, then pour in the coconut water and turn the heat up to high.
- Add the fish in and let it simmer for 30 seconds, then gently flip it over to coat the sauce on the other side. Pour the remaining marinade over it.
- Let the fish braise on a low-medium heat for 1 hour or until soft with the lid partially on. The sauce should be slightly thick and sticky when it's done. If you plan to add chili, you can put it in now.Tip: Scoop the sauce onto the fish every 15 minutes to make sure every part is covered.
- Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately with hot rice!
Video
Notes
- Use coconut water. As with any Vietnamese braising recipe (like our family's Thịt Kho), coconut water adds a subtle sweetness that gets infused into the ingredients.
- Adjust the heat while the sugar is cooking. Sugar burns easily, so keep an eye on the sauce. If it's darkening too fast, IMMEDIATELY turn the heat down to low.
- Use a spatula to flip. The catfish will become very soft during the braising, so use a spatula to avoid breaking any flesh.
- We prefer using brown sugar varieties like palm or raw sugar for a richer color and flavor. However, any that you have on hand will work so long as it's adjusted to taste.
- The longer you leave the chili in to cook, the spicier it will be. If you'd prefer it less spicy, put it in towards the end of the braising or just as a garnish.
Recipe mentioned half of shallots and garlic to season fish but what about the other half?
Hi, Amita! Later in the recipe instructions it mentions to stir in the remaining aromatics into the caramel. Sorry, I should have been clearer – the aromatics are the shallots and garlic!
Thank you! I’m making this recipe and wasn’t sure what the remaining aromatics were.
You’re very welcome, Kimmie! I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!
Having a real bad day, and just needed something to warm my soul. This recipe has me endlessly shoving food in my face and sobbing because it feels so nostalgic of summer afternoons at be noi’s, when I was a kid. Currently, waiting for another pot of rice to cook so I can keep burying my feelings under a mound of ca kho and pickles.
Hi, Michelle! I’m so glad our family recipe took you right back to the heart of your Bà Nội’s home. Enjoy your sweet memories and I hope you’ll get to enjoy many more to come!
Cá Kho and pickles is such a classic 🥰
This is totally my kind of meal! I love getting this in restaurants and can’t wait to make it myself!
If you love it at restaurants, you’ll be in for a treat at home! 😉
wow your fish looks sooo good!!! Your instruction seem easy, I might just give it a try. thank you-let you know if I cook it-wow!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Neli!
This is definitely my comfort meal. I just want to grab this Bowl. Fish is one of my favorite too.
Agreed! This style of fish is such good comfort food.
What a beautiful recipe it was! I made it for my friend for dinner and it went down like an absolute treat! Thank you x
That’s wonderful to hear, Tania!
This recipe is awesome. Thank you for providing the pictures so I have a visual aid. Will definitely make again.
You’re very welcome, Kristella! Glad it turned out well 🙂
What kind of fish did you use?
We used frozen catfish steaks for this one 🙂
Wow, can’t wait to try it! There are a variety of coconut waters at the grocery store. Would you recommend one with no added sugars or does it matter?
Hi, Iris! I usually go for the one that says 100% coconut water with no added sugars or preservatives. Just keep in mind that if you end up with one that has added sugar, you might have to adjust the amount of sugar you add otherwise it could end up being very sweet.
Where do you get catfish steaks? It seems like it’s not commonly found in non-Asian grocery stores.
Hi, Nancy! I do agree that it can be difficult to come by. I generally look for frozen ones because it’s hard for me to get as well. Otherwise any of your favorite meatier types of fish will work well with this. Grandma has used all sorts of fish, so just go for what you have available or what you like best.
Greetings,
I see that you have chicken bouillon powder on your recipe list. Can you share what brand of chicken bouillon powder you use? I do see many different brands at my local Asian supermarket.
Thank you.
Hi, Hao! At home, we typically use the Knorr brand for chicken bouillon powder. Been using it for decades now!
I couldn’t get the sugar to melt or brown because the written instructions said to put both the oil and sugar in the pot at the same time. However, watching the video, it makes more sense to just caramelized the sugar by itself, then adding the oil in afterwards. It still turned out delicious, just without the coloring.
Hi, Martin! Sorry about the confusion, but I’m glad the video helped to clarify it. Hope you like it enough to make it again!
Hi Jeannette,
Used your recipe with Pickerel (walleye) cut into large pieces. Marinated the fish most of the day. The Walleye is a bit more delicate to cook with but with a little care it stayed together fine. It was a big hit!
The only thing i would do different, would me to try to darken the initial sugar, oil sauce a bit more. But that is a skill.
A great fish recipe
Thank You
Hi, Mark! That’s so wonderful to hear! Now I want to find some Pickerel to try for myself. Do you have any tips for a first timer for this fish? Thanks for sharing!
Looks delicious. Can you use fish fillets instead of steaks?
Hi, Shashi! We generally use fish steaks because they hold their shape after braising but you can certainly try it with fillets. Just keep in mind that you may have to cook it for a shorter duration to prevent the fish from getting to soft. Hope that helps!