Recipe: Shrimp and Onion Simmered in Caramel Sauce (Tom Kho) (Vietnamese)

SHRIMP AND ONION SIMMERED IN CARAMEL SAUCE
(TOM KHO)

1 cup sugar
2 pounds medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice for serving
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving.

TO MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE:
Choose a small, heavy saucepan and fill sink with enough cold water to come halfway up the sides of pan. Dry pan. Combine 1/4 cup water and the sugar in pan and heat to bubbling over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a metal spoon. After 2 minutes, stop stirring and let cook undisturbed. Bubbles will form over surface and mixture will become clear.

After about 15 minutes' cooking, mixture will begin to turn golden and then quickly darken; watch closely. When reddish on top and inky dark brown (like black coffee) underneath, quickly stop cooking by placing saucepan in cold water. Add 1/2 cup water; mixture will bubble furiously and seize up (it will dissolve again). Return saucepan to medium heat and stir until smooth. Pour into heatproof container such as a glass jar and let cool at least 10 minutes before using.

TO PREPARE THE SHRIMP:
Place shrimp in colander and toss with 1 tablespoon salt. Rinse immediately with lots of cold water and drain well.

In medium pot, combine shrimp, 1/8 teaspoon salt, fish sauce and 3 tablespoons caramel sauce (remainder of caramel sauce can be tightly covered and refrigerated indefinitely) and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add onion and pepper, stir, and boil uncovered 10 to 14 minutes more, until sauce is thick. Shrimp and onions will give off lots of liquid; cook at a strong boil to concentrate flavors (add a little water if sauce seems to thicken too quickly).

Turn off heat, stir in oil, and taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl, scatter with scallions, and serve over plain rice, with lime wedges.

Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from source: Into the Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen