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1
Make the caramel. Combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in the clay pot or a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Do not stir — swirl the pot if needed. Cook until the sugar melts and deepens to a rich amber. The caramel is ready when it smells of toffee with a faint edge of bitterness and the colour is the shade of dark honey.
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2
Carefully add the remaining water to arrest the caramel, then add the fish sauce and the additional sugar. Stir to combine over low heat until a unified braising liquid forms. The liquid should smell simultaneously sweet, savoury, and deeply aromatic.
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3
Lay the ginger coins and sliced chillies across the base of the pot. Arrange the fish pieces on top in a single layer. The fish should be just covered or nearly covered by the braising liquid.
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4
Bring to the gentlest possible simmer over very low heat. Do not stir at any point. Tilt the pot periodically to baste the fish with the liquid. The braise is proceeding correctly when the liquid murmurs at the edges with only the occasional slow bubble — no rolling boil.
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5
Continue the low, patient reduction until the sauce reduces to a sticky, coating glaze. The reduction is complete when the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly, the fish is visibly lacquered, and the surface of each piece holds a glossy, dark film without pooling liquid beneath.