Definition

1. Noun:
   • Braised fish: A traditional Vietnamese dish where fish is cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid, typically a seasoned sauce, until the liquid reduces and the fish becomes flavorful and tender.
   • Fish cooked in a caramelized sauce: Specifically refers to a preparation method where fish is simmered in a mixture of fish sauce, sugar (which caramelizes), and other seasonings like pepper, creating a savory, slightly sweet, and umami-rich dish.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Mẹ tôi nấu món cá kho rất ngon. (My mother cooks braised fish very well.)
  • Cá kho tộ là một món ăn đặc trưng của miền Nam Việt Nam. (Cá kho tộ is a characteristic dish of Southern Vietnam.)
  • Bữa cơm gia đình thường có cá kho. (A family meal often includes braised fish.)

Advanced Usage

• "cá kho khô": Refers to a style where the fish is braised until the sauce is almost completely reduced, making the fish drier and more concentrated in flavor.
  • Ông tôi thích ăn cá kho khô. (My grandfather likes to eat dry-braised fish.)
• "cá kho tiêu": Braised fish with pepper, highlighting black pepper as a key seasoning.
  • Cá kho tiêu thường có vị cay nhẹ. (Braised fish with pepper usually has a mild spicy taste.)
• "kho" as a cooking verb: The word "kho" itself is a verb meaning "to braise" or "to stew." In the compound "cá kho," it functions as a noun describing the finished dish.

Variants and Related Words

• Kho (verb): To braise, to stew. This is the cooking method used.
  • Mẹ đang kho thịt trong bếp. (Mom is braising meat in the kitchen.)
• Cá kho tộ: A specific variant where the fish is braised and served in a clay pot ("tộ").
• Kho quẹt: A rustic, reduced sauce often made from similar braising liquids, sometimes served as a condiment.

Synonyms

• Stewed fish: A general translation, though "stew" often implies more liquid.
• Caramelized fish: Highlights the role of caramelized sugar in the sauce.
• Fish braised in clay pot: A descriptive synonym, especially for "cá kho tộ."

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Nấu cá kho: To cook braised fish.
  • Chị ấy học cách nấu cá kho từ bà. (She learned how to cook braised fish from her grandmother.)
• Kho cá: To braise fish (verb phrase).
  • Hôm nay tôi sẽ kho cá. (Today I will braise fish.)

Related Idioms

• "Cơm hẩm với cá kho": Literally "stale rice with braised fish," an idiom from a folk saying ("Cơm hẩm ăn với cá kho, chồng xấu vợ xấu những lo mà gầy") used to express contentment with simple, humble meals and the idea that even an unattractive couple can be happy together. It symbolizes simple marital happiness and satisfaction with life's basics.
  • Họ sống hạnh phúc với nhau, đúng là "cơm hẩm với cá kho". (They live happily together, truly a case of "simple rice and braised fish.")

noun

1. Dried fish