Recipes

Vietnamese Caramelized Fish

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 20 mins

| Cook Time: 30 mins

| Total Time: 50 mins

You may need: Vietnamese Pho

Discover The Recipe

Vietnamese cuisine, a tapestry of Chinese, French, and Southeast Asian influences, offers a mosaic of flavors—a delicate dance of herbs and spices, a symphony of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. Enter the Vietnamese Caramelized Fish, a masterpiece of tender fish draped in a lush sauce that seduces with sweet, savory, salty, and umami whispers. Originating from the Mekong Delta, this dish finds inspiration in tradition, simmering fish in a clay pot to absorb the savory-sweet depths of the sauce. Crafted from caramelized sugar, coconut water, fish sauce, garlic, and chilis, this sauce transforms every bite into a savory embrace.

Our rendition features our Vietnamese Pho spice blend—a concoction mirroring the flavors of traditional Pho, a soul-warming noodle soup and culinary icon that boasts fragrant spices like star anise, cinnamon, clove, and a host of fresh herbs.For a plant-based twist, substitute the fish with firm tofu, a sturdy alternative that holds its own against the robust sauce. Pair it with steamed white rice, crisp veggies like carrots or cucumbers, and savor the true essence of Southeast Asia. Try making our Vietnamese Pho noodle soup with this blend or use it in any number of Asian style dishes for a burst of flavor.

Ingredients

1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp Piquant Post Vietnamese Pho + ¼ tsp for finishing
1 lb catfish or tilapia filets, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ cup coconut water or filtered water
1 stalk green onions, chopped
For garnish: chopped green onions
To serve: steamed white rice

Notes

This recipe comes together quickly and does not require long hours of cooking to get the fish tender and flaky.

Instructions

Add soy sauce, fish sauce and Piquant Post Vietnamese Pho to a large bowl and whisk to mix. Add the fish and marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet over Med heat. Add in shallots and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and brown sugar and stir and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add fish along with the marinade and coconut water. Bring mixture to a low boil then lower the heat to Low and simmer for 15 minutes uncovered.

Flip the fish over and sprinkle in the green onions. Simmer for another 15 minutes, occasionally basting the fish with the pan sauce.

Remove pan from heat and finish with a pinch of Vietnamese Pho. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with more chopped green onions.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Vietnamese Caramelized Fish is a savory, umami braised fish dish that is delectable and simple to prepare. The dish is typically made with catfish but you can use another whitefish variety of your choice like Tilapia or cod. Make this recipe plant-based by substituting the fish with firm tofu.
For a lower sodium version of this dish, make sure you use low sodium soy sauce and reduce the fish sauce by half, adding in 1 Tbsp of coconut water or filtered water. For a gluten-free dish, use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
Our Vietnamese Pho delivers layers of flavor to make complex and savory broth, typical of the classic Vietnamese noodle soup Pho (pronounced “Fuh”) that originated in northern Vietnam. Use it to quickly infuse store-bought broths with a burst of umami flavor!
Try using our Vietnamese Pho blend to make our other Vietnamese-inspired recipes like Vietnamese Marinated Steak and Vietnamese Pho Chicken Wings, or our plant-based options like Mushroom Hoi Tod and Vegetarian Tofu Mushroom Pho, or our Pho Spiced Mushroom and Tofu Salad.
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