🇻🇳 Vietnam
Cá Kho Tộ, made with supermarket ingredients
The authentic flavor in three easy steps with what any supermarket sells, in metric, for students and anyone cooking far from home (serves 2).
30 min2 to wash
3 lazy steps
- 1
Heat vegetable oil and sugar in a heavy pot over medium heat until melted into a dark golden brown caramel.
- 2
Add shallots, garlic, Thai chili, fish sauce, coconut water, and ground black pepper, then lay catfish steaks into the pot.
- 3
Simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes until the liquid reduces to a glossy glaze, then garnish with scallions.
🇻🇳 How it's eaten in Vietnam
In Vietnam, this dish is served bubbling hot in a clay pot alongside fresh cucumber slices, herbs, and steamed jasmine rice.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- catfish steaks,450 g
Swap: salmon steaks, 450 g（easier to find）
- fish sauce,3 tbsp
Swap: soy sauce 2.5 tbsp + Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp（similar savory umami）
- sugar,2 tbsp
- coconut water,250 ml
- shallots,2
Swap: yellow onion, 1/2 small（everyday staple）
- garlic,3 cloves
- Thai chili,1
Swap: jalapeño pepper, 1/2（easier to find）
- ground black pepper,1/2 tsp
- scallions,2
- vegetable oil,1 tbsp
Authentic ingredients in Vietnam
- catfish steaks,450 g
- fish sauce,3 tbsp
- sugar,2 tbsp
- coconut water,250 ml
- shallots,2
- garlic,3 cloves
- Thai chili,1
- ground black pepper,1/2 tsp
- scallions,2
- vegetable oil,1 tbsp
Optional authentic touch
Caramelize dry sugar in oil to a deep amber shade before adding liquids to achieve the traditional mahogany color and subtle bitterness.
Wherever you live: Japan, Europe or anywhere else
Lazy Recipe adapts the ingredients to the supermarkets where you live. Type a dish, snap a photo of it or your fridge, and get 3 lazy steps for your servings and diet, with read-aloud and timers in Cook Mode.
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