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Vietnamese

Cá kho tộ

Non-vegetarian

Catfish steaks braised in a clay pot with dark caramel, fish sauce, coconut water and black pepper until sticky, salty-sweet and glossy — southern Vietnamese home cooking.

Cá kho tộ is a Vietnamese main course, ready in about 1 hour 25 minutes and made with catfish, sugar and fish sauce. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Rest
30 min
Total
1 h 25 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
288

Ingredients

4 servings

For the caramel

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Marinate the fish with the fish sauce (opens in a new tab), shallots (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and half the pepper (opens in a new tab) for 30 minutes.

    • 5 min
    Meat coated in a spiced marinade in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Ip Photographer on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    In a clay pot or heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab), cook the sugar (opens in a new tab) and water without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms. Add the oil and swirl.

    Food safety: Hot caramel causes serious burns — keep children away and add liquids carefully.

  3. Step 3

    Lay in the fish and marinade, turning to coat in caramel, then pour in the coconut water (opens in a new tab).

    • 3 min

  4. Step 4

    Simmer uncovered over low heat, basting now and then, until the sauce is thick and dark and coats the fish.

    • 30 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cook fish until it is opaque and flakes easily (63 °C).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Finish with the remaining pepper (opens in a new tab), chilli and spring onion (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Mekong Delta, Vietnam · Well documentedMore food from Vietnam
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses
Cooking method
Braised
Taste
sweet & savoury, peppery, umami
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · One-pot
Cook more with
Catfish · Sugar · Fish sauce · Shallot · Garlic · Coconut water
Techniques
Simmering · Braising · Marinating

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom catfish, fish sauce
  • May contain: Crustaceansfrom fish sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

288 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 284 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 35%
  • Carbohydrate 26%
  • Fat 39%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy288 kcal101 kcal
Protein25 g8.8 g
Carbohydrate18.2 g6.4 g
Net carbohydrate16.4 g5.8 g
Sugars13.7 g4.8 g
Added sugars9.4 g3.3 g
Fibre1.9 g0.7 g
Fat12.5 g4.4 g
Saturated fat2.3 g0.8 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol83 mg29 mg
Sodium1264 mg445 mg
Salt equivalent3.2 g1.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
776 mg
Calcium
56 mg
Iron
1.2 mg
Magnesium
77 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
6 µg
Vitamin C
10 mg
Vitamin D
0.3 µg
Vitamin B12
4.4 µg
Folate (DFE)
37 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Take the caramel quite dark — it gives the colour and a pleasant bitterness.

Common mistakes

  • Turning the fish too often; it breaks apart.

Serve with

  • Serve with plain rice and canh chua (sour soup) for a classic southern meal.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; the flavour deepens.

Reheating

  • Warm gently in the pot with a splash of water.

Variations

  • Thịt kho: The same caramel braise with pork belly and eggs.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 5

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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