When it comes to one ingredient that I consume more than anything else in the world, it has to be shrimp. I love shrimp and I can eat it every day and for every meal. I am addicted to it.

When I had caramel shrimp at Cat Restaurant in Little Saigon a few weeks ago, I fell head over heals in love with it. It was one of the most delicious shrimp dishes ever and the taste was rich and intense—sweet, salty, savory, and extremely umami.

I came home and did some research on my cookbooks and the internet for the recipe but I was undecided. And then David of Houston Wok came to my rescue and shared his Vietnamese caramel shrimp or tom rim recipe with me.

I made it for my good friend Show Shanti (check out her beautiful blog and awesome photography about learning authentic Chinese cooking from real Chinese families in China, a MUST-READ) and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

How Many Calories Per Serving?

This recipe is only 150 calories per serving.

What Dishes To Serve with this Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp (Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky)

Banh Xeo (Sizzling Saigon Crepes)

Braised Pork Belly (Filipino Humba)

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)

Yield: 4 people

Caramel Shrimp (Vietnamese Tom Rim)

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Caramel Shrimp (Vietnamese Tom Rim) - one of the most delicious shrimp dishes ever and the taste is rich and intense—sweet, salty, savory, and extremely umami.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 lb. (0.2 kg) fresh water prawn or shrimp, shell-on and head-on
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 bunch scallion

Caramel Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. In a small sauce pan on medium-low heat, add the sugar and water. Keep stirring until the sugar and water turn into a golden amber color caramel sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok at high heat.  Add shallot and garlic and garlic, stir fry until aromatic but not browned. Add the shrimp and stir fry in a back-and-forth motions with a spatula.  Add the Caramel Sauce, fish sauce and ground black pepper . Cook until the shrimp is cooked through and the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the scallions, stir, and turn off heat. Serve the Caramel Shrimp with rice immediately.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

4 people
Amount Per Serving Calories 150Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 286mgSodium 1236mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 24g