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Vietnamese Caramel Salmon

Vietnamese Caramel Salmon reads umami 9.2, salinity 6.6 and marine & briny 6.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 18 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 9.2 · Salinity 6.6 · Marine & Briny 6.5 · Richness 6.1 · Funk & Ferment 5.9 · Sweetness 4.6 · Allium 3.7 · Heat 2.8 · Sourness 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Herbaceous 1.7 · Floral 1.2 · Smoke 0.9 · Bitterness 0.7

What's in it (13)

• salmon fillets — 680 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• granulated sugar — 67 g
• fish sauce — 44 g
• water — 79 g
• garlic — 9 g
• shallot — 40 g
• ginger — 15 g
• chile flakes — 100 g
• rice wine vinegar — 4 g
• scallions — 200 g

Time & effort: about 18 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 116.4 kcal, 10.4 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 8.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt and pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Lay the salmon in skin-side down and sear skin-side down until crackling crisp, about 4 minutes.
3. Flip and sear the flesh side just 1 minute to color it, then transfer salmon to a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
4. Wipe out the skillet, add the sugar, and cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it melts and turns a deep amber caramel, 4-5 minutes.
5. Working quickly and standing back, carefully whisk in the fish sauce and water (it will bubble hard and steam); whisk until the caramel dissolves into a smooth sauce, about 1 minute.
6. Add the garlic, shallot, ginger, and chile; simmer over medium heat until fragrant and the shallot softens, 2 minutes.
7. Nestle the salmon back into the sauce skin-side up, spoon the glaze over the top, and simmer until the sauce thickens to a glossy coat and the salmon reaches 125 F at the center, 4-5 minutes.
8. Off heat, stir in the rice vinegar to brighten the sauce, then scatter the scallions over the salmon and spoon extra glaze over each fillet before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Banh Bao Thit — Vietnamese
• Vietnamese Caramel Chicken — Vietnamese
• Bossam (Boiled Pork Belly with Radish Salad and Oysters) — Korean
• Vietnamese Caramelized Salmon and Rice Bowls — Vietnamese
• Thai Basil Pork (Pad Kra Pao Moo) — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, marine & briny mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.