Vietnamese Braising Sauce (For Fish or Meat)

This versatile sauce is essential in Vietnamese cuisine, especially for dishes like cá kho (braised fish) or thịt kho (braised meat).  Its rich, savory-sweet flavor and deep caramelized color bring out the best in braised dishes and can even double as a grilled marinade.

Ingredients:

• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fish sauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (or fresh coconut water)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup chili sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 2 tbsp mushroom seasoning (or 1 tbsp chicken powder)
• 2 tbsp ground black pepper

Directions:

1.    Sautéing aromatics:

2.    Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add chopped shallots and garlic.  Sauté until fragrant and slightly golden.

3.    Caramelizing the sugar:

4.    Add 1/2 sugar and stir constantly until it melts and turns golden brown.  This gives the sauce its signature color and depth of flavor.

5.    Building the sauce:

6.    Slowly add the fish sauce while stirring to combine.  Be careful—it may splatter a bit, and the rest of the sugar.

7.    Adding liquids and seasonings:

8.    Add pineapple juice (or coconut water), ketchup, chili sauce, and mushroom seasoning.  Stir to blend everything well.

9.    Simmering:

10.                       Add ground black pepper.  Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for 5–7 minutes until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy.

How to Use:

• For braising fish or meat, pour the sauce over the fish or meat in a pot and simmer until tender and thoroughly infused with flavor.
• For marinating: Let the fish or meat soak in the sauce for at least 30 minutes before cooking or grilling.
• Storage: Let cool and store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.