Vietnamese caramel and clay pot (kho)
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Origin
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Description
Kho is the Vietnamese technique of braising protein in a caramel-based sauce in a clay pot. The caramel is NOT sweet dessert caramel — it's cooked to a very dark amber, almost burnt, then deglazed with fish sauce. This produces a savoury, bittersweet, deeply complex sauce that has no equivalent in any other cuisine. The clay pot (nồi đất) conducts heat gently and retains it, creating a slow braise environment. Ca kho to (caramelised fish in clay pot) and thit kho (caramelised pork belly) are the benchmark dishes — everyday Vietnamese home cooking at its most essential.
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The Thread
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Flavour Context
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Pillars V — VII
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