# Cá kho tộ: Mekong Delta clay-pot caramelised fish

> Cá kho tộ is a Mekong Delta home-cooking classic: fish, often catfish, braised slowly in a clay pot with caramel sauce, fish sauce, black pepper and chilli until sticky and glossy. It’s eaten with rice and a sour soup. As part of a rice meal it usually costs 40,000–80,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một phần cá kho tộ”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/ca-kho-to
- Region: South Vietnam · City: Mekong Delta
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

If you’re invited to a family dinner in the South, there’s a good chance a small clay pot of caramelised fish will be on the table.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** Fish braised in a clay pot with caramel (nước màu), fish sauce, sugar, black pepper and chilli.
- **Where:** Mekong Delta homes and restaurants, and ‘cơm’ rice shops across the South.
- **Typical price:** Around 40,000–80,000 VND as part of a rice meal; more for a whole pot to share.
- **Eat green:** A shared dish cooked and served in the same clay pot. Choose farmed or local fish and finish what you order.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi một phần cá kho tộ.”

One portion of clay-pot fish. Add **canh chua**, the sweet-sour fish soup that often comes with it.

## How to eat it

Spoon a little fish and sauce over your rice. The sauce is salty, sweet and peppery, so a little goes a long way. Balance it with a sour soup and fresh vegetables.

## When to go

Lunch and dinner at rice shops (quán cơm) and family restaurants.

## Questions travellers ask

### What fish is used in cá kho tộ?

Often catfish such as cá basa, but snakehead and other river fish are also common.

### How much does cá kho tộ cost?

Around 40,000–80,000 VND as part of a rice meal.

### What is nước màu?

A dark caramel sauce made by cooking sugar, used to colour and sweeten braised dishes.

### Is cá kho tộ spicy?

It is peppery and can be spicy; ask for “ít cay” for less chilli.

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Photo: Charles Haynes / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C%C3%A1_kho_t%E1%BB%99,_c%C3%A1_h%C3%BA.jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/ca-kho-to. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.