Ca kho to is a must try if you’re a fan of fish, consisting of a catfish fillet that’s braised and served in a clay pot.

Mostly available in cities in southern Vietnam, particularly Ho Chi Minh, this dish is prepared by slicing a whole catfish into fillets before caramelising it in a thick gravy made with a combination of soy sauce, fish sauce, fresh coconut water, sugar, shallots, garlic and various spices and seasonings.

Ca kho to is known for its intense sweet-salty flavour, so this dish is always served with a plate of white rice and fresh greens. While pho may be a special treat to eat on occasional weekends, ca kho to is a dish that families routinely eat on a regular basis.

The following is the recipe of Ca kho to

Ingredients

• 1 pound catfish filets (bone and skin optional)
• Salt to clean the fish

Aromatics

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ yellow onion, sliced

Seasoning & cooking liquid

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce
• About ½ teaspoon thick soy sauce
• ½ cup water & ½ cup coconut juice (OR 1 cup coconut soda)
• 1 chile, sliced (to taste, optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper (you can add it here, or as a final topping when serving the fish)

Garnish

• 1 stalk chopped green onion (scallion)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sliced red chile (optional)

Instructions

1. Generously salt fish and rinse under water to clean it. Set aside to dry.
2. Add oil to a pan and saute garlic over medium heat until lightly browned.
3. Layer onion on top, then the fish, evenly spaced.
4. Add the seasoning & cooking liquid (& optional chiles) and turn the heat to high until boiling. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning.
5. Bring it to a simmer for ~20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
6. Gently flip the filets of fish over and simmer for a final ~10 minutes with the lid partially covered.
7. Stand there to watch it the final ~10 minutes to prevent it from burning! During this time you can continually spoon the sauce over the fish.
8. Add green onion during last 2 minutes to wilt & top with sliced chiles, and some freshly ground black pepper.