This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
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.
For more great recipes like this, sign up for our newsletter. We’ll send daily recipes you’ll love!
Sign up for our newsletter!
Caramel Shrimp (Vietnamese Tom Rim)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 lb. 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
- 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.
- 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
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Delicious flavor, I cooked for a little bit longer because I like a thick sauce. Reminded me of my moms.