Trey tok kho tloke.
( Caramelized fish with Opo squash.)

Fish with light caramelized sauce and opo squash is delicious recipe from Khmer Krom in Au-cap ( Vung Tau).
Au-Cap (Vung Tau) was part of ancient Chonwatrapeang province (Bien Hoa) before French illegally gave Kampuchea Krom to Viet Nam on 6-4-1949 (Kampuchea Krom meaning lower Cambodia now know as South Viet Nam). Au-Cap (Vung Tau) is approximately 125 km south east of Prey Norko (Saigon). It is well known for luxury, beautiful beach resorts around the five beaches, old French architects, with Phnom thom( large mountain) and Phnom touch( small mountain) surround. French loves Au-Cap so much that they built many homes there and they named Au-Cap the“ Kampuchea Krom Riviera".
Opo squash or bottle gourd is one of year round vegetables in Kampuchea Krom. From Khmer Krom tale there was an evil man who stored magic potion in bottle gourd to harm and killed many innocent villagers. The killing ended when an old Buddhist monk captured the evil man’s soul and imprisons it in bottle gourd along with evil man’s magic potion. Most religious Khmer Krom doesn’t eat opo squash because of the belief evil and good don’t mix.

• Ingredients :
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 Cups water
  • 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 Cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb Asian mud fish or any fresh fish, clean and cut to chunks
  • 1-2 lbs Opo squash , peeled and cut cubes bite sizes
  • 4 Hot chili pepper,(option)
  • 1 Stalks green onion, chopped
  • ½ Teaspoon black pepper
• Procedures :
  First make caramelized sauce by put 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a pot or skillet that big enough to hold all ingredients. Cook and stir frequently till sugar turns dark brown color, immediately pour 2 cups water over caramelized sauce, stirs well.
  Add fish sauce, sugar, garlic, stirs well.
  Add fish sauce, opo squash and hot chili pepper, simmering till fish tender and water reduced, while cooking turns fish over couple time so both sides well coated with sauce.
  Add green onion and black pepper.
  Serve hot with rice and tamarind dipping sauce.