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    Home » Seafood » Tôm Rim Thịt (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp and Pork)

    Published: Jul 13, 2021 · Last Modified: Jul 21, 2021 by Jeannette ·

    Tôm Rim Thịt (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp and Pork)

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    Close up of Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.
    Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.
    Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.

    Grandma’s Tôm Rim Thịt is an epic Caramelized Shrimp and Pork that’s SENSATIONAL over rice. It’s slow cooked in signature Vietnamese sauces and comes out bubbling in a sticky savory-sweet caramel. This is a terrific flavor-packed favorite where a little goes a long way!

    If you love it with just seafood, try our version with shrimp!

    Close up of Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.

    Easy, humble comfort food to serve with rice

    Caramelized anything is a love that runs deep in my family, and Tôm Rim Thịt is right up there with all the other claypot classics.

    These traditional recipes are cooked in a style signature to Vietnamese cuisine, which Grandma uses when she makes our favorite caramelized pork, fish and chicken dishes.

    You’ll find that they all have one thing in common – a rich amber color that deepens as the ingredients braise. Not only do you end up with a beautifully golden pot of pork belly and prawns, but the flavor seeps right through to the center of every piece.

    The secret? A gentle splash of Grandma’s homemade Nước Màu (Vietnamese Caramel Sauce). And yes, this is another staple in our household, along with all the other aromatics and vegetables.

    Unlike our other family favorites like Ga Ragu (Chicken Ragu), Xíu Mại (Meatballs in Tomato Sauce) or Steamed Lemongrass Pork where you’d smother your rice with all the toppings and sauce, this humble Tôm Rim Thịt only needs be eaten a bit at a time.

    Each bite is so jam-packed with sweet and savory flavors that you’ll love balancing it out with freshly sliced cucumbers and tomatoes!

    Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.

    Why this recipe works

    • The crispy shrimp shells add an incredibly satisfying crunch with every bite.
    • Using Nước Màu (Vietnamese Caramel Sauce) means you’ll get a golden bronze color and toffee sweetness.
    • Cooking with pork belly keeps the dish juicy and prevents it from easily burning.

    What you’ll need

    A cup of water along with a bowl of chopped pork belly, a colander of school prawns and dishes of chopped red shallot, salt, sugar, oil, chopped garlic, chicken bouillon powder, fish sauce and Vietnamese caramel.

    About the ingredients

    We use pork belly because it has a good ratio of meat to fat for a juicier bite, but you can choose whichever cut you prefer.

    For this recipe, some families like to leave the heads and legs on the shrimp. I’ve removed it off mine using scissors, which is entirely optional. You can even deshell them all if that’s what you prefer.

    Grandma had her Nước Màu (Vietnamese Caramel Sauce) on hand, so we used that when we cooked. If you don’t have any available, just substitute it for dark soy sauce. It’s mainly used to deepen the color.

    How to make this recipe

    Prawns cooking in a pot.

    Heat up a pot on high heat and pour in the oil. When hot, add the garlic in to fry for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Pour the shrimp in to cook for 3 minutes or until orange all over, then transfer into a bowl for later.

    Pork belly cooking in a pot.

    Add the pork belly in along with the fish sauce, salt, nước màu (or dark soy sauce), sugar and chicken bouillon powder. Stir until well combined and cook for 5 minutes on high heat.

    Tôm Rim Thịt cooked in a pot.

    Add the cooked shrimp back in and stir well, then pour in the water to simmer on low-medium heat for 30 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.

    Note: Families usually eat this side dish on the saltier side with less sauce.

    Enjoy as is over hot rice!

    Recipe FAQs

    Why is my pork tough?

    If you cook the meat over high heat, it will have a tougher texture. Make sure to let it simmer in the liquid over a low-medium heat so that it has enough time to soften.

    Can I use larger prawns?

    You certainly can! The same rules apply where you can choose to keep the shell on or off. Just make sure to cook it mostly through before adding it to the pork.

    Can I use meat other than pork?

    This dish is traditionally made using pork, but it will definitely work with chicken or tofu. Just make the recipe suit you and your family!

    Tips for the best results

    • Let it simmer low and slow. This will help with the caramelization and give it a chance for the flavors to cook into the pork and shrimp.
    • Use coconut water. By doing so, you’ll get a delicate sweetness that water and sugar alone will not give.
    • Keep the shrimp shells on. The crunchy texture makes this dish much more enjoyable because it’s taken beyond just flavor!
    Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.

    What to serve it with

    • Whet your appetite with a fresh serving of family-made Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls).
    • Gà Xào Sả Ớt (Spicy Lemongrass Chicken) will bring an aromatic kick to the table.
    • Balance all the flavors with Grandma’s super moist Chả Trứng Hấp (Steamed Egg Meatloaf).
    • Make sure to load up on the veges with Stir Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste and steaming hot Canh Khoai Mỡ (Creamy Purple Yam Soup).
    • A bowl of refreshing Sương Sáo (Grass Jelly) or Thạch Dừa (Coconut Jelly) will cool everything down!

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    Close up of Tôm Rim Thịt in a pot.

    Tôm Rim Thịt (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp and Pork)

    Tôm Rim Thịt is an epic Caramelized Shrimp and Pork dish for rice. It comes in a sticky savory-sweet caramel and a little goes a long way!
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 1386kcal
    Author: Jeannette

    Ingredients

    • 250 g / 0.55 lb shrimp (a.k.a. school prawns)
    • 1 kg / 2.2 lb pork belly (cut into 2cm/0.8" chunks)
    • 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
    • 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
    • 3 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
    • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
    • 2 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
    • 3 tsp nước màu (Vietnamese caramel) (or substitute it with dark soy sauce)
    • 1/4 US cup water
    • 2 tbsp oil

    Instructions

    • Heat up a pot on high heat and pour in the oil. When hot, add the garlic in to fry for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
    • Pour the shrimp in to cook for 3 minutes or until orange all over, then transfer into a bowl for later.
    • Add the pork belly in along with the fish sauce, salt, nước màu (or dark soy sauce), sugar and chicken bouillon powder. Stir until well combined and cook for 5 minutes on high heat.
    • Add the cooked shrimp back in and stir well, then pour in the water to simmer on low-medium heat for 30 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.
      Note: Families usually eat this side dish on the saltier side with less sauce.
    • Enjoy as is over hot rice!

    Video

    Notes

    • Let it simmer low and slow. This will help with the caramelization and give it a chance for the flavors to cook into the pork and shrimp.
    • Use coconut water. By doing so, you'll get a delicate sweetness that water and sugar alone will not give.
    • Keep the shrimp shells on. The crunchy texture makes Tôm Rim Thịt much more enjoyable because it's taken beyond just flavor!
    • We use pork belly because it has a good ratio of meat to fat for a juicier bite, but you can choose whichever cut you prefer.
    • Some families like to leave the heads and legs on the shrimp. I've removed it off mine using scissors, which is entirely optional. You can even deshell them all if that's what you prefer.
    • If you don't have any Nước Màu (Vietnamese Caramel Sauce) available, just substitute it for dark soy sauce. It's mainly used to deepen the color.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1386kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 136g | Saturated Fat: 49g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 64g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 259mg | Sodium: 1407mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me TODAY!If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @wokandkin.

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    « Nước Màu (Vietnamese Caramel Sauce)
    Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸魚) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jac says

      July 15, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      5 stars
      Love trying and reading about traditional recipes 🙂

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        July 15, 2021 at 8:55 pm

        This sure is one of those 😉

        Reply
    2. Danielle Wolter says

      July 15, 2021 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      Seriously one of my favorite dishes! I absolutely love vietnamese food and this came out delicious.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        July 15, 2021 at 8:55 pm

        Thanks, Danielle! Glad you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says

      July 15, 2021 at 10:34 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, this sounds absolutely amazing! The caramelized shrimp sounds absolutely divine!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        July 16, 2021 at 8:53 am

        It sure does get very tasty, especially with the crunchy texture! Thanks, Bintu!

        Reply
    4. Beth says

      July 15, 2021 at 10:54 pm

      5 stars
      My daughter and I loved how this recipe turned out last night for dinner, and we loved all the flavor! Such a tasty and very delicious Vietnamese food! Can’t wait to make this again!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        July 16, 2021 at 8:53 am

        That’s awesome, Beth! Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Lima Ekram says

      July 15, 2021 at 11:23 pm

      5 stars
      The caramelized sauce coated rice was one of the tastiest things that I have ever eaten! The whole family loved it!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        July 16, 2021 at 8:52 am

        That’s wonderful to hear, Lima! Glad you and your family loved it!

        Reply
    6. Kenny says

      April 14, 2022 at 6:01 am

      4 stars
      The recipe is good but you don’t need that much salt. Mine came out way too salty. Don’t add any salt, and just salt at the end to taste. The fish sauce should be salty enough.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        May 04, 2022 at 10:44 am

        Hi, Kenny! Thanks for the feedback! That’s certainly a great tip to make it to taste.

        Reply

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