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Caramel Sauce (Nuoc Mau)

Active Work Time: 5 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 35 minutes

The traditional method of making this sauce requires that you add boiling
water to the caramelized sugar, which kicks off a dramatic reaction that's
not for the faint of heart. The point of doing this is to arrest the
cooking process so that the sugar doesn't burn to a bitter black stage. I
find it easier to place the pan bottom in a sink filled with water. This
cools the caramel down so that when you add the remaining water, there's
little drama left. The result of both approaches is the same bittersweet
inky sauce that's a staple in every Vietnamese kitchen.

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water, divided

Fill the sink with enough water to come halfway up the side of a 1-quart,
heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the sugar and 1/4 cup of the water into the
saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves,
about 2 to 3 minutes. As the sugar melts, the mixture will go from opaque
to clear. Small bubbles will form at the edge and gradually grow larger,
moving toward the center of the pan. Eventually, bubbles will cover the
entire surface.

After about 15 minutes, the sugar will begin to caramelize and turn in
color. You'll see a progression from champagne yellow to light tea to dark
tea. When smoke starts rising, remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly
swirl it around. Watch the sugar closely as it will turn darker by the
second; a reddish cast will set in (think the color of a big and bold red
wine) as the bubbles become a lovely burnt orange. Pay attention to the
color of the caramel underneath the bubbles. When the caramel color is that
of black coffee or molasses, place the pan in the sink to stop the cooking
process. The hot pan bottom will sizzle upon contact and the bubble action
will subside.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water (there may be a small dramatic reaction)
and place the saucepan back on the stove over medium heat, stirring until
the caramel has dissolved into the water. The result will be slightly
viscous; flavor-wise, it will be bittersweet. Pour the caramel sauce into a
small glass jar and let it cool; it will thicken further. Store
indefinitely in your kitchen cupboard.

1 cup. Each tablespoon: 39 calories; 0 sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 0
saturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0 fiber.

Chicken and Ginger in Caramel Sauce (Ga Kho)

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes

This is a very straightforward northern Vietnamese preparation. I've read
recipes from the central and southern Vietnamese regions that include
garlic and chiles, and that saute the chicken with aromatics before
simmering. While there's bound to be more complex flavors in those
versions, the beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. This
preparation shows off the ease of making a kho dish and the delectability
of the results.

The chicken exudes its juices during cooking, which adds extra savoriness
to the sauce. The ginger softens and mellows, blending in with the other
ingredients while still retaining its jolting quality. To crush the ginger,
place the flat side of a knife blade on each slice and give the blade a
firm whack with the palm of your hand. Crushing the ginger releases more of
its juices during cooking, thereby mitigating its bite.

Traditionally, the chicken was left on the bone with the skin attached.
You'd cut the chicken pieces up and simmer the ingredients into an unctuous
kho. My mother used to simmer chicken wings and what I jokingly called
"chicken knees" (the bony knob ends of the drumsticks that she'd cut off as
she butchered chickens and save in the freezer). For the sake of ease and
health considerations, I now use boneless skinless chicken thighs.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 (2-inch) piece ginger root, peeled, thinly sliced into quarter- size
coins and crushed

3 tablespoons Caramel Sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

1 green onion, green tops only, chopped

Steamed rice, for serving

Place the chicken, ginger, Caramel Sauce, fish sauce, salt and water into a
saucepan. Give a stir to distribute everything. Cover and bring to a strong
simmer over medium heat. Stir again to break up the chicken pieces, then
replace the lid. Cook for 10 minutes, periodically stirring to evenly
expose the chicken to the sauce. The kho will send fragrant steam out from
under the lid. The sauce will increase in volume as the chicken releases
its juices.

After the 10 minutes are up, remove the lid and continue cooking to reduce
the sauce and deepen the color to a rich reddish brown, about 5 minutes.
Replace the lid and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and
adjust the flavor with extra fish sauce, if necessary. Garnish with the
chopped green onion and serve with plenty of rice.

4 servings. Each serving, without rice: 362 calories; 631 mg sodium; 148 mg
cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 41
grams protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

Shrimp in Caramel Sauce (Tom Kho)

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

This simple dish exemplifies how the Vietnamese kho method of cooking sends
an already tasty ingredient such as shrimp into a new dimension. Nowadays,
it seems uncouth to overcook seafood. However, in this application, the
longer cooking allows all the flavors to thoroughly penetrate the shrimp.
Unlike other kho dishes, this recipe doesn't ask you to sweat the juices
out by covering the pan with a lid; shrimp is delicate and requires faster
"open" cooking to concentrate the flavors. The onions should practically
disintegrate into the sauce. Adding the oil at the end lends a bit of extra
richness; traditionally more lard or oil was added than prescribed here to
also give an appetizing sheen to the shrimp.

This may seem like a lot of shrimp for four, but I've observed my friends
snap these guys up like crazy, sometimes even eating them without rice.

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp (31-40 count), peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons Caramel Sauce

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

1 green onion, green tops only, chopped

Steamed rice, for serving

Place the shrimp, salt, fish sauce and Caramel Sauce into a shallow
saucepan. Bring to a vigorous simmer over high heat. Add the yellow onion
and pepper, stirring to evenly distribute. Continue cooking over high heat,
occasionally turning the shrimp so that they're well coated with sauce.
They'll curl up and release their juices to combine with the other
ingredients and concentrate into a dark sauce. Add a little water if things
get too dry.

The shrimp are done when they've taken on an orange-brown color and have a
pleasant sweet chewiness, about 8 to 10 minutes after you've added the
onion and pepper. There will be a few tablespoons of sauce in the pan.
Remove from the heat, add the oil and stir to coat the shrimp. Scatter the
green onion on top and serve with lots of steamed rice.

4 servings. Each serving, without rice: 229 calories; 725 mg sodium; 276 mg
cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 31
grams protein; 0.58 gram fiber.

Pork Riblets Simmered in Caramel Sauce (Suon Kho)

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours plus 2
hours marinating

Traditionally, the riblets were grilled over charcoal to sear in the
flavors before simmering. In our family, we take an easier route by
broiling them. I've presented all the options below. Here are some
additional things to note: Ask a butcher to cut the ribs, as this is not an
easy home project. To remove the fat, the ribs may be prepared a day ahead
and refrigerated. The congealed fat can be easily lifted off the surface.
The onions may be prepped in a mini- chopper.

2 pounds meaty pork spareribs, cut crosswise through the bone into 2-inch-
wide strips

1/3 cup minced, grated or pureed yellow onion, about 1/2 small onion

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup fish sauce, divided

1/4 cup Caramel Sauce

1 green onion, green top only, chopped

Steamed rice, for serving

Cut each rib strip between the bones or through the cartilage into
individual riblets. Combine the onion, sugar, pepper and 2 tablespoons of
the fish sauce in a bowl. Add the riblets, cover with plastic wrap and
marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

If necessary, adjust your broiler rack so that the ribs will cook as close
to the flame as possible. Heat the broiler for 30 minutes to get it nice
and hot.

While the broiler heats up, take the ribs from the refrigerator and let
them sit at room temperature to take the chill off. Place them on a baking
sheet and broil until they're tinged brown, about 4 to 6 minutes per side;
a little charring is fine. (You'll hear a pleasant sizzle as this happens.)
Alternatively, cook the ribs over high heat on a gas or charcoal grill,
which imparts deeper flavor. The point here is to sear the riblets to
obtain a roastiness and intensify the overall color.

Place the riblets in a saucepan with the Caramel Sauce, the remaining 2
tablespoons of fish sauce and enough water (about 2 1/2 cups) to cover most
of the riblets. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and
let cook for 40 minutes; the ribs should simmer vigorously, sending steam
out from under the lid.

Remove the lid and continue to simmer until the ribs are tender (you can
easily pierce the meat with a fork or knife tip), about 20 to 30 minutes.
If there's cartilage, you should be able to bite through it, with a slight
crunch remaining. This latter phase of cooking allows the sauce to reduce
and concentrate in flavor, and deepens the color to dark reddish brown. In
the end, there should be a fair amount of sauce left.

Turn off the heat, tilt the saucepan so the liquid goes to one side and use
a spoon or small ladle to skim the fat from the top. Adjust the flavors
with extra fish sauce, if necessary. Garnish with the chopped green onion
and serve with lots of steamed rice.

4 servings. Each serving, without rice: 429 calories; 773 mg sodium; 104 mg
cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates;
27 grams protein; 0.36 gram fiber.
--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.