I just made Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp that comes out glossy, fragrant, and gloriously crunchy so you’ll want to cancel takeout tonight.

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I’m obsessed with this Tôm Rim. I love the way Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp gets glossy and slightly crunchy, with that punch from fish sauce and the sharpness of 2 cloves garlic, finely minced.

It’s sticky and loud in the best way, sweet then salty, and it makes plain rice shut up and taste like more. And the smell is straight-up addictive, a bend toward Asian Seafood that actually makes me eat slow so I don’t drip sauce everywhere.

I’ll take this over complicated meals any night. Simple, saucy, messy, exactly what dinner should be.

No pretence. Just flavor.

Every time.

Ingredients

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Basically the prawns bring sweet, briny protein and that nice snappy bite.
Garlic gives a sharp, garlicky punch and great aroma.
Shallots add sweet, mild onion flavor and soft texture.
Fish sauce packs salty, savory umami that’s classic Vietnamese.
Plus sugar creates glossy caramel sweetness and sticky coating.
Light soy sauce adds a bit of color and subtle saltiness.
Nước màu or caramel syrup gives deep color and toasty notes.
Water loosens the sauce so it clings without burning.
Oil helps sear the shrimp and prevents sticking.
Black pepper adds a warm, faintly spicy kick.
Chili brings heat and a bright red pop.
Green onion offers fresh crunch and mild onion brightness.
Fresh cilantro or Vietnamese coriander adds a citrusy, herbal finish.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (500 g) large prawns, peeled leaving tails on

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp granulated sugar or 1 tbsp rock sugar, plus extra for caramelizing if you like

1 tbsp light soy sauce (optional, for color)

2 tbsp nước màu or carmelized sugar syrup (see note)

2 to 4 tbsp water

1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 small red chili, sliced (optional, for heat)

2 stalks green onion, chopped for garnish

Fresh cilantro or Vietnamese coriander for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Rinse and pat dry 1 lb prawns, peel leaving tails on, then toss them with 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp rock sugar), 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp light soy sauce if using; let sit 10 to 15 minutes while you prep the rest.

2. In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp nước màu or caramelized sugar syrup with 2 to 4 tbsp water so it’s ready to pour; slice 2 shallots, mince 2 cloves garlic and slice 1 small red chili if you want heat.

3. Heat a wide skillet over medium and add 1 tbsp neutral oil. Sprinkle a little extra granulated sugar in the pan if you like a deeper caramel and let it melt slowly until amber, watching it closely because it burns fast.

4. Once the sugar is caramelized add the sliced shallots and garlic and stir quickly to coat in the caramel, cooking until fragrant and the shallots soften, about 30 to 45 seconds.

5. Add the marinated prawns in a single layer, increase heat to medium-high and sear for 1 minute on the first side; the caramel will be bubbling so be careful.

6. Stir, flip the prawns and pour in the nước màu mixture plus any leftover marinade; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently so the sauce thickens and glazes the prawns, about 2 to 3 minutes total — watch the prawns so they just turn pink and curl, you dont want them rubbery.

7. If the glaze looks too thin, crank heat briefly to reduce, or add another tablespoon of water if it’s getting too sticky; taste and add a pinch more sugar or a splash of fish sauce to balance sweet and salty.

8. Toss in sliced chili during the last 30 seconds if using, then turn off the heat and sprinkle chopped green onion and fresh cilantro or Vietnamese coriander on top.

9. Transfer to a plate, spoon any extra thick glaze over the prawns and serve immediately with steamed rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

10. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a day but reheat gently so the glaze doesnt burn and the prawns dont overcook.

Equipment Needed

1. Large wide skillet or frying pan
2. Mixing bowls (one for marinade, one small for nước màu)
3. Sharp chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring spoons and tablespoon
6. Tongs or a slotted spatula
7. Small heatproof spoon or wooden spatula for stirring caramel
8. Plate lined with paper towels for drying and resting prawns
9. Serving platter or shallow bowl for plating

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen shrimp and do I need to devein them?

A: Yes you can use frozen shrimp but thaw them completely in the fridge or under cold running water, pat dry so they sear instead of steaming. Devein if the vein is visible or if you dont like the texture, but its optional for small prawns.

Q: What is nước màu and can I skip it?

A: Nước màu is a dark caramelized sugar syrup that gives color and a slight bitter sweet depth. You can skip it by using a bit more light soy sauce and extra caramelized sugar, but the dish will be lighter in color and missing a little of that classic flavor.

Q: How do I make the caramel without burning it?

A: Use medium heat, add sugar to a dry pan or a few drops of water, let it melt and turn amber, swirl the pan not stir, and remove from direct heat if it darkens fast. Add oil or a splash of water carefully to stop cooking, because burned caramel tastes bitter and that ruins the dish.

Q: My shrimp often get rubbery, how do I avoid that?

A: Cook shrimp fast over medium high heat, about 1 to 2 minutes per side for large prawns until just pink and opaque. Overcooking is the main cause of rubbery shrimp so remove them from heat as soon as they change color.

Q: Can I make this ahead and reheat it later?

A: You can make it ahead, store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water so the sauce loosens, dont microwave too long or the shrimp will get tough.

Q: How spicy is it and how do I adjust the heat?

A: The recipe is mildly spicy if you add one small chili. For no heat leave it out, for more heat add chopped fresh chilies or a little chili garlic sauce. Taste as you go, the caramel and fish sauce balance the spice so adjust both if you up the chilies.

Tôm Rim (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Prawns (1 lb large prawns)
- Firm white fish fillets (tilapia, cod) cut into large chunks — cooks fast, so watch time
- Chicken thigh, boneless and cut into bite sized pieces — more forgiving if overcooked
- Firm tofu, pressed and pan seared — great for a vegetarian version
Fish sauce (2 tbsp)
- Soy sauce mixed with a squeeze of lime (1:1 by volume) — adds saltiness and a bit of tang
- Light soy sauce plus a splash of mushroom soy or liquid umami — deeper savory flavor
- Vegetarian fish sauce or kelp powder dissolved in water — keeps it plant based
Sugar (2 tbsp granulated or 1 tbsp rock sugar)
- Brown sugar or palm sugar — gives a richer, caramel taste
- Honey or maple syrup (use slightly less) — will change texture and color, cook gently
- Coconut sugar — similar caramel notes and less sweet
Nước màu or caramelized sugar syrup (2 tbsp)
- Homemade caramelized sugar (melt sugar until amber, add a bit of water) — same idea, diy
- Dark soy sauce mixed with a little sugar — for color and slight sweetness
- Blackstrap molasses diluted with water (use sparingly) — bold color, strong flavor

Pro Tips

1. Use a hot, heavy skillet so the prawns sear fast and you get a good caramel crust. If the pan is too cool they’ll steam and go rubbery, so wait till oil shimmers before adding them.

2. Caramelize sugar slowly and watch it like a hawk; it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds. If you want more control, melt sugar with a tablespoon or two of water first, then let it reduce to an amber syrup before adding shallots.

3. Don’t overcook the prawns. Pull them off the heat when they just turn pink and curl once. They keep cooking a bit in the residual heat, so err on the side of undercooked.

4. Balance the glaze at the end. If it’s too sweet add a splash more fish sauce or a squeeze of lime. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of hot water and stir until glossy again.

Tôm Rim (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp) Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp that comes out glossy, fragrant, and gloriously crunchy so you'll want to cancel takeout tonight.

Servings

servings

Calories

193

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large wide skillet or frying pan
2. Mixing bowls (one for marinade, one small for nước màu)
3. Sharp chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring spoons and tablespoon
6. Tongs or a slotted spatula
7. Small heatproof spoon or wooden spatula for stirring caramel
8. Plate lined with paper towels for drying and resting prawns
9. Serving platter or shallow bowl for plating

Ingredients

1 lb (500 g) large prawns, peeled leaving tails on
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp granulated sugar or 1 tbsp rock sugar, plus extra for caramelizing if you like
1 tbsp light soy sauce (optional, for color)
2 tbsp nước màu or carmelized sugar syrup (see note)
2 to 4 tbsp water
1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 small red chili, sliced (optional, for heat)
2 stalks green onion, chopped for garnish
Fresh cilantro or Vietnamese coriander for garnish (optional)

Directions

Rinse and pat dry 1 lb prawns, peel leaving tails on, then toss them with 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp rock sugar), 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp light soy sauce if using; let sit 10 to 15 minutes while you prep the rest.
In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp nước màu or caramelized sugar syrup with 2 to 4 tbsp water so it’s ready to pour; slice 2 shallots, mince 2 cloves garlic and slice 1 small red chili if you want heat.
Heat a wide skillet over medium and add 1 tbsp neutral oil. Sprinkle a little extra granulated sugar in the pan if you like a deeper caramel and let it melt slowly until amber, watching it closely because it burns fast.
Once the sugar is caramelized add the sliced shallots and garlic and stir quickly to coat in the caramel, cooking until fragrant and the shallots soften, about 30 to 45 seconds.
Add the marinated prawns in a single layer, increase heat to medium-high and sear for 1 minute on the first side; the caramel will be bubbling so be careful.
Stir, flip the prawns and pour in the nước màu mixture plus any leftover marinade; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently so the sauce thickens and glazes the prawns, about 2 to 3 minutes total — watch the prawns so they just turn pink and curl, you dont want them rubbery.
If the glaze looks too thin, crank heat briefly to reduce, or add another tablespoon of water if it’s getting too sticky; taste and add a pinch more sugar or a splash of fish sauce to balance sweet and salty.
Toss in sliced chili during the last 30 seconds if using, then turn off the heat and sprinkle chopped green onion and fresh cilantro or Vietnamese coriander on top.
Transfer to a plate, spoon any extra thick glaze over the prawns and serve immediately with steamed rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a day but reheat gently so the glaze doesnt burn and the prawns dont overcook.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.