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Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Caramelized shrimp with rice

Caramelized shrimp with rice is a Vietnamese dish of tôm rim, shrimp cooked in a garlic and fish sauce caramel. Made for 4 people, it takes 30 minutes, is very easy, and costs €4.60 per person. The key to success is letting the sauce reduce until it turns syrupy and coats the shrimp well.

Tonight, tôm rim, Vietnamese shrimp caramelized with garlic and fish sauce, served with rice, a dish ready in a flash.

Caramelized shrimp with rice
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
430 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Here, the shrimp are coated in a glossy sauce that's sweet, salty, and a touch spicy, the kind you end up scraping off the pan with your spoon. The caramel brings an almost smoky note, the fish sauce adds deep saltiness, and raw garlic gives every bite a punch. Plain jasmine rice balances it all out.

This is the kind of dish you make on a weeknight when you want something different without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids generally like the sweet and salty combination, especially if you leave out the chili or serve it on the side. Mon Chou suggests this dish when you want a quick, flavorful dinner that's a change from plain rice.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Raw peeled shrimp 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Shallots 2
  • Green onion 3
  • Fresh chili pepper 1

Pantry

  • Sugaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Fish sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Ground black pepperoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Jasmine riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Allergens Shellfish, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the jasmine rice in salted boiling water, then drain it and keep it warm. 12 min

    Start the rice first, the shrimp cook in just a few minutes.

  2. Melt the sugar with the oil in a skillet until you get an amber colored caramel. 4 min

    Watch the color closely, it goes from amber to bitter brown fast.

  3. Add the chopped garlic and shallots, then the shrimp, and stir fry over high heat. 3 min

    Don't let the shrimp cook too long, they turn rubbery.

  4. Pour in the fish sauce and pepper, let it reduce until the sauce coats the shrimp. 3 min

    Stir constantly so every shrimp gets coated.

  5. Sprinkle with green onion and sliced chili, and serve with the rice.

    Serve right away, the sauce thickens as it cools.

Our tips to get it right

  • Chop the garlic and shallots into small, even pieces so they cook quickly and evenly in the caramel.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking, because once the caramel is ready, everything moves fast.
  • Use a wide skillet rather than a saucepan, so the shrimp sit in a single layer and caramelize evenly all over.

The variations

  • Swap the shrimp for shredded pork or diced chicken for a more classic meat based version of tôm rim.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with firm tofu and the fish sauce with a salty soy sauce.
  • For kids, skip the chili and cut back on the pepper, the sauce stays sweet and salty without any heat.

What to serve it with

  • Jasmine rice, already part of the recipe
  • Fresh cucumber slices
  • Green tea or lemon water

Storage

The shrimp keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They don't freeze well, the texture turns rubbery. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat, without boiling, so the shrimp don't toughen up.

Questions about this dish

Can you use frozen shrimp for this recipe?

Yes, as long as you thaw them fully and pat them dry with a paper towel before cooking. Shrimp that are too wet will stop the caramel from sticking and release too much water into the pan.

What can you use if you don't have fish sauce?

You can swap in soy sauce, though the flavor will be less distinctive. The result stays sweet and salty, but loses the particular depth that fish sauce brings.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

It's best served fresh, since the sauce thickens and the shrimp firm up as they cool. You can chop the garlic, shallots, and cook the rice ahead to save time when you're ready to cook.

How do you keep the shrimp from turning rubbery?

Don't leave them on the heat for more than a few minutes, they cook very fast in a hot pan. As soon as they turn pink and opaque, move on to the next step.

How long does it take to make caramelized shrimp with rice?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in caramelized shrimp with rice?

About 430 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does caramelized shrimp with rice cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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