“Kho” is the Vietnamese cooking method of braising food low and slow- traditionally in a clay pot. You can kho meat, fish, tofu, veggies- really anything! Ingredients are cooked to perfection and soak up all the beautiful aromatics and seasonings.
The secret to the sweetness and beautiful golden color of many of these kho dishes is nước hàng (Northern dialect) or nước màu (Southern dialect).
It is a sort of caramel sauce that is only used for braising and not desserts. It has a beautiful red/black/brown color- which Vietnamese people describe as “màu cánh gián” – which means the color of roach wings. I’m not a fan of roaches (in fact I am terrified) but you have to admit that glossy color is beautiful.
The Northern version is commonly made with sugar and water, whereas the Southern version can be made with sugar and coconut water. Both versions have a lovely sweet caramel flavor with a hint of bitterness and smokiness. Since only a very small quantity is used for braising, the bitterness doesn’t carry forward into the finished dish, it just adds some depth of flavor.
You can make nước hàng with different types of sugar, which will give you slightly different results- but white sugar is the simplest and usually the one most people already have in their pantry.
This recipe is for the Northern version. All you need are sugar, water, lime juice, and a little bit of patience!
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