Ca Kho - Vietnamese Caramelized Braised Catfish

Ca = Fish
Kho = Braised with Nuoc Mau

I don't have a claypot (which would make it called Ca Kho To, where "to" is pot"), so my heavy pan did the job.

This is a very simple Vietnamese dish that I always associate with my mom's home cooking.  It's usually paired with canh chua (sour soup made with tamarind among other things).  Traditionally, this is considered "peasant food."  The caramelized sauce would stick to the inside of the clay pot so you could add hot water and reconstitute it and eat it with rice to make the most of the meal.  I make my own nuoc mau (or "colored liquid/water" which is a savory caramelized sauce).

Ingredients:

• Sugar
• Water
• Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nuoc Mam)
• Garlic (this is my preferential "add on" to make my sauce)
• Pepper
• Catfish steak

I'll have directions up at another time.