How to Make Vietnamese Braised Shrimp (Tôm Kho Tàu)
Tôm kho tàu is a Southern Vietnamese dish full of flavor. To prepare it perfectly, follow the key steps and tips outlined below.
Ingredients
- 1kg fresh shrimp (giant freshwater prawns, tiger prawns, or large white shrimp)
- 500ml fresh coconut water
- 3 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1-2 stalks of green onions
- 1/2 lemon
- 1-2 chili peppers
- Seasonings: Fish sauce, ground pepper, sugar, MSG, seasoning powder, soy sauce
Ingredient Notes
For this dish, you should choose large shrimp, as small ones can become dry and crumbly when cooked. The best choice is giant freshwater prawns (tôm càng xanh) because they contain plenty of roe, which gives the dish its rich flavor, texture, and color.
However, these prawns are expensive, around 350,000-370,000 VND per kilogram. To reduce costs, you can mix in some large tiger prawns or white shrimp for a more budget-friendly option.
Instructions
Prepare the shrimp
Clean the shrimp, then lay them on their back and use scissors to cut a line from the neck to near the eyes, extracting the roe into a separate bowl.
Remove the black waste sac from the shrimp head. Then, cut off the head, legs, and claws, peel the shrimp, and devein it. You can keep the tail on for a more attractive presentation as the shrimp curls up when cooked.
If using giant freshwater prawns, keep the head, as it contains more meat than other shrimp types.
After preparing the shrimp, rinse and drain them. Marinate the shrimp with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/3 tablespoon MSG, and 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper. Mix well and let the shrimp absorb the seasonings for 20-30 minutes.
For the roe, mash it with a spoon and season with 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/3 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon MSG. Stir well. To give the roe a vibrant red-orange color, squeeze in half a lemon.
Prepare the other ingredients
Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Wash and chop the green onions.
Wash and finely chop the chili peppers.
Cook the braised shrimp
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Sauté half of the chopped garlic and shallots until fragrant, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry the shrimp over high heat until they firm up. Avoid overcooking to prevent them from drying out. Once the shrimp are firm and fragrant, transfer them to a separate bowl.
Next, heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot, and sauté the remaining garlic and shallots. Then add the shrimp roe and stir-fry with 1 teaspoon fish sauce.
If you prefer not to stir-fry the roe, you can steam it for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens. However, stir-frying the roe gives it a richer flavor.
Next, pour coconut water over the shrimp, add the chili, and season with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and braise the shrimp in the coconut water for 45 minutes.
When the sauce has thickened and become syrupy, adjust the seasoning to taste with MSG, seasoning powder, fish sauce, and a bit of pepper. Stir well, cook for another 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Serve the braised shrimp hot.
Final Product Requirements
To ensure a delicious braised shrimp dish, it’s essential to use coconut water and select shrimp that are both meaty and rich in roe. This results in a flavorful, thick, and rich braising sauce.
