Ca Kho To - Last of the SWR mackerel
Posted: 08 May 2016, 18:50
Pulled the last of the SWR mackerel out of the freezer this morning and SWMBO said she would make Ca Kho To,a Viet claypot dish. 
Here's what you need:
1/2 kg mackerel steaks, bone and skin on (Aussie salmon, snapper or other firm fish would work too)
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs minced garlic
Couple of twists of black pepper
3 spring onions, sliced 1 inches long
1 chilli
Cooking oil
From the Asian grocery:
4 tbs fish sauce
3 tbs caramel sauce
1 can of coconut juice (not cream or milk as I found out
)
To speed things up at the Asian grocers, here's what they look like:
Method:
1) Marinade steaks with fish sauce, sugar, pepper, garlic, and shallots for about 1/2-1 hr.
2) In pot, heat about 1 tbs of cooking oil on medium high and add the marinaded fish.
3) Allow to sear and brown for about 2-3 before searing opposite side for another few minutes.
4) Add the caramel sauce and just enough coconut juice to the level of the fish steaks. Cover and turn to med low heat and allow to simmer for about 25 min (longer if you want it really soft),
5) Checking a few times to make sure that it's not reduced too much. Add more coconut juice or caramel sauce if needed.
The fish will eventually caramelize and brown, as will the sauce which will be a thick gooey consistency. T
6) Taste sauce and make final adjustments with fish sauce or sugar as needed.
7) Turn off heat and add additional fresh cracked pepper, green onions, and chili.
8) Serve with rice and a good beer.
Smashed it before I remembered to take a photo but here's what it looks like:
Here's what you need:
1/2 kg mackerel steaks, bone and skin on (Aussie salmon, snapper or other firm fish would work too)
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs minced garlic
Couple of twists of black pepper
3 spring onions, sliced 1 inches long
1 chilli
Cooking oil
From the Asian grocery:
4 tbs fish sauce
3 tbs caramel sauce
1 can of coconut juice (not cream or milk as I found out
)To speed things up at the Asian grocers, here's what they look like:
1) Marinade steaks with fish sauce, sugar, pepper, garlic, and shallots for about 1/2-1 hr.
2) In pot, heat about 1 tbs of cooking oil on medium high and add the marinaded fish.
3) Allow to sear and brown for about 2-3 before searing opposite side for another few minutes.
4) Add the caramel sauce and just enough coconut juice to the level of the fish steaks. Cover and turn to med low heat and allow to simmer for about 25 min (longer if you want it really soft),
5) Checking a few times to make sure that it's not reduced too much. Add more coconut juice or caramel sauce if needed.
The fish will eventually caramelize and brown, as will the sauce which will be a thick gooey consistency. T
6) Taste sauce and make final adjustments with fish sauce or sugar as needed.
7) Turn off heat and add additional fresh cracked pepper, green onions, and chili.
8) Serve with rice and a good beer.
Smashed it before I remembered to take a photo but here's what it looks like:
