Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp with Fish Sauce Caramel

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Shrimp glazed in a nutty amber caramel spiked with fish sauce, garlic, black pepper and a squeeze of lime — the coastal Vietnamese classic that shows up on $30 menus but takes 20 minutes at home. The whole trick is the caramel: cook the sugar to the color of iced tea, then stop it with liquid off the heat so it turns savory and glossy instead of bitter. Serve it over hot jasmine rice and let the sauce soak in.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb large shrimp (21–25 count), shell-on or peeled and deveined
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 3 tbsp fish sauce

• 5 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp minced shallot
• 1 red Fresno or Thai chile, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, for finishing
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

• 4 cup hot cooked jasmine rice
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 English cucumber, sliced

• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Start the rice first so it finishes with the shrimp. While it cooks, prep everything else — once the caramel starts, there is no time to chop.
2. If using shell-on shrimp, snip the shell down the back with kitchen scissors and pull out the vein, leaving the shell attached; this lets the caramel get inside. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels, then toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper. Wet shrimp will steam instead of sear, so dry them well.
3. Measure the 1/4 cup hot water and 3 tablespoons fish sauce into one small cup and set it right next to the stove. Have a lid ready — caramel spatters when liquid hits it.
4. Make the caramel: combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a 12-inch skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan (do not stir) until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes, then let it bubble undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch closely: it will go from clear to pale straw to the deep amber of strong iced tea (about 340–350°F if you have a thermometer). The moment you see the first wisps of smoke or smell toasted sugar, it's done.
5. Immediately pull the pan off the heat and pour in the hot water and fish sauce mixture, standing back and holding the lid as a shield. It will hiss and seize. Return to low heat and stir 30 to 60 seconds until the hardened caramel dissolves into a smooth, pourable syrup the color of dark maple. Pour it into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup and wipe the pan out. This is your caramel base and it keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks.
6. Set the same skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. When it shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 90 seconds, until the undersides are pink and lightly browned. Flip and cook 1 minute more, then transfer to a plate — they should be about 80 percent cooked.
7. Reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic, shallot and chile to the pan and stir constantly for 45 seconds, just until the garlic smells sweet and turns pale gold — do not let it brown.
8. Pour in the caramel and bring to a brisk simmer, 1 to 2 minutes, until it reduces slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Return the shrimp and any juices to the pan and toss constantly for 2 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque, curled into loose Cs, and completely lacquered in glossy sauce.
9. Kill the heat. Add the finishing teaspoon of black pepper, the lime juice and the scallions, and toss for 15 seconds — the residual heat is enough to wilt the scallions and bloom the pepper.
10. Pile onto hot jasmine rice, scrape every bit of sauce over the top, and scatter with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, cucumber slices, and — if you like — a small dish of salt, pepper and lime juice stirred together for dipping the shrimp.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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