Vegetable Dip with Caramelized Fish Sauce - Mắm kho quẹt

By Helen Le Published: December 5, 2013

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Ready In: 50 mins

Yield: 4 Servings

A very simple, easy and inexpensive dish but could bring back tons of memories for those who have lived through the poverty and difficult years of Vietnam. Nowadays it has become a stylish and trendy specialty of many luxurious restaurants.

Cuisine: Southern Vietnam
Course Side Dish
Skill Level: Easy

Ingredients

3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chicken/pork stock optional
2 tbsp pork fat diced
1 shallot thinly sliced
3 small cloves garlic smashed
3 tbsp dried shrimps soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained
30 g lean pork thinly sliced (1 oz)
3-4 bird-eye chilis
1 small cauliflower/broccoli separated in small florets
1 daikon/carrot/bitter melon cut into bite-sized sticks
1 opo squash / zucchini cut into bite-sized pieces
200 g lady fingers (okra) trimmed

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar and chicken stock. Stir well to dissolve.
Heat a claypot (or a small saucepan/ pan with thick bottom) on medium high. Add the diced pork fat and stir occasionally to render the fat. When the fat is rendered, remove the pork rinds and set aside, keeping the liquid fat in the claypot. (You can skip this step and use 1 tbsp vegetable oil instead)
Add shallot, garlic and sautế until fragrant. Add dried shimps and pork. Stir-fry intil the pork is no longer pink. Then add the sauce mix, chili and pepper.
Simmer on medium low, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens and gets caramelized. Add more freshly cracked pepper and the pork rind on top.
Boil the okra and bitter melon for 4-5 minutes. Quickly blanch the other vegetables for 1-2 minutes.
Arrange the vegetable around a large platter. Place the claypot in the center. To serve, dip the vegetable in the sauce and serve hot with hot steamed rice.