Salmon Kho To (Vietnamese)

Photo complements of Lourdes Aleman!

The story: Deciding between two salmon entrees at Pho Lemongrass in Brookline, I asked our server which she would suggest. She stated quite simply, "Salmon Kho To is very traditional," and I was sold. The dish was remarkably tasty, and I went home and did some research on it. Made by braising fish in a carmelized sugar liquid and fish sauce, the dish is sweet but peppery! The above link (click on the title) includes recipes for both the carmel sauce and the dish, and it also offers some nice tips and suggestions.

Thoughts: I replaced the shallots with moon-shaped onion slices in order to re-recreate the dish I had at Pho Lemongrass and to offer some kind of vegetable to accompany the salmon. I'm also just a fan of carmelized onions :) The dish is usually served (and cooked) in a traditional Vietnamese clay pot, which can be bought at Super 88 or any other Asian grocery. It did look mighty cute when it arrived in a covered pot! Not having one, though, I just served the salmon on over brown rice, making sure to add enough of the sauce on each person's plate.