Ca Ngu Kho Thom Braised Bonito with Pineapple

The main reason we put a pause on blogging is that these posts take time to write and edit. However, we’ve been actively posting recipes and step by step stories on Instagram. We’re going to try a new “quick” post method using our instagram feed as a inspiration to a dish and recipe below. In this day in age when we’re all being asked to be teachers and homemakers and whatever imaginable roles thrusted upon us, lets give this a try and see how you all like this! Think of this as a quick phone call to your mom or relative for a recipe, except we’ll provide measurements. But as always, our recipes are guidelines and always season as you go and adjust.

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So our first go at this is a classic “sweet and sour” braised bonito. Sweet and sour from the pineapples and tomatoes. The bonito is meaty fish that is great in this braise. It’s not as well known as the clay pot ca kho , but its just as delicious.

Hong and Kim

Ca Ngu Kho Thom Braised Bonito with Pineapples

4.80 from 5 votes

Classic braised fish recipe from the central coast of Vietnam where bonito is a common and favorite delicacy to pair with sweet and sour pineapple and tomatoes,

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Calories: 414

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs Bonito 4-5 steaks depending on size of fish
• 1 ts salt
• 1 ts sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 shallot minced
• 1.5 cups young coconut water or plain water
• 1 ts fish sauce
• 1 ts nuoc mau optional
• 1 cup pineapple chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1 tomato quartered
• 2 thai chile optional, chopped
• 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1 tbsp green onion chopped

Equipment

• dutch oven
• wide pan

Method

 

1. Marinate the bonito steaks with salt, sugar for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, prep the other ingredients.
2. In a large shallow pan or dutch oven on medium heat, add oil and saute garlic and shallots until fragrant. Sear the steaks each side for some color. Add the pineapples and tomatoes and young coconut water. You may have to add more or less depending on this size of your pan, just make sure they just barely cover the fish. If you have some prepared nuoc mau, add that now. Bring to gentle simmer and allow liquid to slowly reduce. When it's reduced by about 1/2, adjust final seasoning with fish sauce, thai chile, fresh black pepper. Turn off heat and transfer to serving bowl and top with cilantro and green onion and serve immediately with rice.

Notes

Substitute bonito with other meaty fish such as tuna, king mackerel, salmon, swordfish, or monkfish. 

Ca Ngu Kho Thom Braised Bonito with Pineapples

Classic fish to use is bonito, however if you have other meaty fish such as tuna, king mackerel, salmon, or swordfish the flavors will work as well.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs Bonito Steaks roughly 4-5 steaks depending on size of fish
• 1 ts salt
• 1 ts sugar
• 1 tbs cooking oil
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1 minced shallot
• 1.5 cups of young coconut water or plain water
• 1 ts fish sauce
• 1 ts nuoc mau optional
• 1 heaping cup of ripe pineapple chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1 large ripe meaty tomato quartered
• 2 chopped thai chile optional
• 2 tbs chopped cilantro and green onion

Method

 

1. Marinate the bonito steaks with salt, sugar for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, prep the other ingredients.
2. In a large shallow pan or dutch oven on medium heat, add oil and saute garlic and shallots until fragrant. Sear the steaks each side for some color. Add the pineapples and tomatoes and young coconut water. You may have to add more or less depending on this size of your pan, just make sure they just barely cover the fish. If you have some prepared nuoc mau, add that now. Bring to gentle simmer and allow liquid to slowly reduce. When it's reduced by about 1/2, adjust final seasoning with fish sauce, thai chile, fresh black pepper. Turn off heat and transfer to serving bowl and top with cilantro and green onion and serve immediately with rice.