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Caramelised fish sauce served with fried fish
Glossy, dark amber caramel sauce with savoury fish sauce notes

Vietnamese Caramelised Fish Sauce

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Sauces and Gravies
'Nước Màu' or caramel cooking sauce is a secret weapon of Vietnamese cuisine. It gives famous 'Kho' dishes (e.g. caramelised pork or fish in clay pots) their beautiful mahogany colour and bittersweet depth. This is not a dessert caramel: sugar is heated almost to blackness (near smoke point) so bitter, roasted notes dominate, perfectly harmonising with salty fish sauce.
🕒 Prep Time 10 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 25 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 95 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Vietnamese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-bottomed frying pan or saucepan (light interior recommended to check colour)
  • Wooden spoon
  • Protective gear (apron, as sugar may splatter)

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish
⚠️ Sesame seeds

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare everything to hand, as seconds count with caramel. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.

Tip: 'Mise en place' (preparation) is critical, you won't have time to search when sugar is browning.
2 ✓

Spread sugar evenly in a frying pan and start heating over medium heat. Do not stir, just swirl the pan until sugar melts and turns amber.

Tip: Stirring causes crystallisation. Sugar will first liquefy, then start darkening.
3 ✓

When sugar is deep brown and fragrant (but not smelling burnt!), remove from heat and carefully pour in 50 ml water. Beware, steam will shoot up!

Tip: This step stops the sugar browning further.
4 ✓

Return to heat, add sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Fry for 1 minute to release aromas.

Tip: Oil-soluble flavours activate this way.
5 ✓

Pour in the stock and fish sauce. Sprinkle in the chilli flakes. Simmer on medium heat for 5-8 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and becomes glossy.

Tip: The saltiness of fish sauce and bittersweet taste of caramel merge now.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the sugar harden?
If you pour too cold liquid into hot caramel, thermal shock solidifies it instantly. Just keep heating slowly until it melts again.
How dark should it be?
Dark amber colour. If too light, it's just sweet; if black and smoking, it's burnt and inedibly bitter.

Ingredients

  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 200 ml fish stock (or water)
  • 30 ml fish sauce
  • 10 ml sesame oil
  • 50 ml water (to loosen caramel)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 g fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes