Wet Kho

Step one kho

I don’t always do this step first because it makes a soup essentially before actually Kho-ing it, but when I do I always use Salmon.

Instructions:

5 pieces of salmon, not huge pieces, like 4-6 oz pieces, cut and peel skin off.

Added ⅛ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of fish sauce into pot with fish.

Cut jalapeños, leave seeds in and put into pot.

Add 4 cups/ 1 quart of water.

Put on stove.

Add dried minced garlic, a shake or so.

More than a tablespoon but not by much.

Some shakes of black pepper, good chunk of pepper.

Once cooked can be served with noodles, rice, boiled vegetables etc.

And if you don’t eat it all—see Step 2

Dry Kho

Step 2 kho

I only Dry kho Salmon when I’ve done Step 1, otherwise I think Mackerel, Catfish, or the little tiny fish are better options.

Slice green onion and shallots

In a clean pot put some oil

Put green onion in hot oil until a little bit brown

Then the shallots (can also use regular onions)

Add a quarter cup of fish sauce and a little more

Add two quarter cups of water 

Add quarter cup of sugar

Ratio is 1:1:2

All of this happens while it’s hot, but pay attention so it doesn’t burn the sugar or onions

Once this boils, add the fish (leftover if you did part one)

Add fresh ground peppercorn.
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(Caramelizing the sugar)

Now onto the sugar, take another pot and put ⅙ cup of sugar into the pot, and heat it up

When it looks an amber color, it’s ready to be poured into the first pot

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Add about a tablespoon of sriracha for a little kick 

Add Thai chili peppers but don’t break it, put it in whole for the aesthetic.

Add fresh green onion at the end, while still hot but not cooking

Marinated Fish Kho

Ingredients:

Fish (3 pounds?)

Garlic

Shallots (or onion)

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp black pepper

2-3 tsp of sugar

3 tsp of fish sauce

2 tsp of turmeric 

Instructions: 

Cut fish into chunks.

Dice shallots and slice garlic.

Create a marinade with about half the garlic (sliced), half the shallots (diced), salt, black pepper, sugar, and fish sauce.

Mix the marinade with the fish.

Then add 2 tsp of turmeric into the marinade mixture as well.

Marinate for 20 minutes.

Toss fry:

Olive oil in a pan, season oil by adding the rest of the shallots and garlic. 

Add the fish and cook each side but you don’t want to cook it all the way through. Cooking it like this first helps the fish pieces to stick together so they don’t fall apart later. 

Then place into a pot (everything including the now fried shallots and garlic).

Add a cup of water.

Once it boils, season it to your taste. You can serve it like this and eat with prepared fish sauce (1,1,1, and 2) or cook with said fish sauce. Feel free to cover it to cook.

Caramelize 3 tablespoons of sugar and add to the pot.

Once the boiling reduces a bit, it should be ready.

Other things to try Kho-ing: Bamboo shoot, Shrimp, Pork