Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Vietnamese Black Pepper Caramel Shrimp
越式黑椒焦糖蝦
Recipe overview
Light amber caramel, fish sauce and black pepper coat shrimp in a savoury-sweet Vietnamese glaze.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g, tails optional Peeled fresh shrimp
- 2 Shallots
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 stalk Spring onion
- 1 tbsp Sugar
Fish sauce and pepper sauce
- 1 tbsp Fish sauce
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp, divided Water
Oil for shrimp
- 1 tsp Neutral cooking oil
02
Tools
- Nonstick skillet and spatula
- Knife and two cutting boards
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Tongs
- Food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Check shrimp
Keep shrimp chilled, peel and remove any dark vein along the back; place raw shrimp in its own bowl.
Step 2
Pat shrimp dry
Pat raw shrimp dry with kitchen paper and wash hands afterwards.
Step 3
Mince shallots
Finely chop shallots on a clean vegetable board.
Step 4
Mince garlic
Finely mince garlic.
Step 5
Chop spring onion
Finely chop spring onion for the final garnish.
Step 6
Mix fish sauce
Combine fish sauce, black pepper and 1 tbsp water.
Step 7
Warm sugar
Put sugar and the remaining 1 tbsp water in a nonstick skillet; warm slowly over medium-low heat.
Step 8
Reach light amber
When sugar turns light amber, briefly remove pan from heat. Never touch hot caramel or pour in more cold water.
Step 9
Add shallots and garlic
Carefully add shallots and garlic to hot caramel, return to low heat and stir; watch for splashes.
Step 10
Add shrimp
Add shrimp and oil, turning until shrimp starts to turn pink; keep raw-shrimp tools away from cooked food.
Step 11
Simmer and check
Add fish sauce mixture and cook until shrimp is opaque and glaze thickens. Confirm the thickest shrimp reaches at least 75°C at its centre with a clean thermometer; cook longer if needed.
Step 12
Finish and serve
Transfer fully cooked shrimp to a clean plate and scatter chopped spring onion over it.
Common mistakes
- Dark brown caramel tastes bitter. Pink colour alone does not prove a thick shrimp is fully cooked.
Tips
Hot sugar can cause severe burns; never pour cold water into hot caramel. Shrimp and fish sauce contain seafood allergens.
