Tôm Rim (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp)

This is a classic Tôm Rim recipe for glossy and fragrant Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp. Enjoy the perfect balance of a thick, sweet and savory glaze!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) fresh prawns
• 1 1/2 tsp salt ((or to taste))
• 3 tbsp sugar ((or to taste))
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic ((finely chopped))
• 1 red shallot ((finely chopped))
• 1 sprig spring onion ((divided into 5cm/2" segments))
• 1 chili ((finely chopped; optional))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Start by cutting the sharp part of the head off. You're looking at cutting roughly 2cm (0.8") off from the tip of the head.Tip: For preparing the prawns, it's easiest with a pair of scissors.
2. 2Snip the legs off from tail to head.
3. 3Cut the tail to remove it.
4. 4Use a toothpick to devein the prawn by digging in between the pieces of shell, then scooping out the intestinal tract. You'll be pulling out a long and thin string that is often black.
5. 5When the shrimps have all been prepped, marinate them with the garlic, red shallots, salt, pepper, chicken bouillon powder and dark soy sauce for a minimum of 20 minutes.
6. 6Heat up a pan or wok on high heat and pour in the oil. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by putting a wooden utensil (such as a chopstick) into the oil. If it bubbles, add the marinated prawns and sugar in.Note: If the oil doesn't bubble, wait for another minute and test again until it does.
7. 7Cook the shrimp for 10 minutes or until the sugar has caramelized and thickened. Pour the fish sauce in and stir it into the prawns, then cook for another 3 minutes.
8. 8Add the spring onions and chili in and let it cook for 2 minutes before turning off the heat.
9. 9Serve immediately with a bowl of hot rice!