Fried Courgettes with Fish Sauce Caramel Recipe
By Dominique Woolf
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Easy
Fish sauce caramel?! I hear you say! If you like your sweet-savoury combinations then you have to try this. The salty, umami notes of the fish sauce work so well with the caramel, elevating the humble courgette to a whole new level of deliciousness. If you’re anything like us, you’ll be fighting to scrape the plate clean! Although I would highly recommend trying it with fish sauce, it also works well with soy.
The cheat’s caramel is as easy as it gets. Simply simmer the ingredients in a pan until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens.
This recipe is extracted from The Asian Pantry, by Dominique Woolf, Photographed by Penguin Michael Joseph
Try Dominique's recipe for Kimchi Beef Peanut Butter Ramen & Satay BLT!
Ingredients for Fried Courgettes with Fish Sauce Caramel
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 2 large courgettes, (approx. 250g each) cut into batons
- Neutral oil, to fry
For the fish sauce caramel
- 4 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp fish sauce
To serve
How to make Fried Courgettes with Fish Sauce Caramel
- Place the cornflour and salt in a shallow dish and combine.
- Add the courgettes and coat well.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. When very hot, add the courgettes, leaving behind any excess cornflour. You will need to do this in batches. Leave for a couple of minutes or so before turning, to make sure a golden crust forms. Cook until golden all over, then remove and place on kitchen paper to drain. Repeat with all the courgettes.
- While the courgettes are cooking, make the fish sauce caramel. Place the ingredients in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then bubble gently until it becomes syrupy.
- Put the courgettes on a serving dish and sprinkle with sea salt flakes, then drizzle over the fish sauce caramel. Serve immediately.
About the author
Dominique, a half-Thai food writer, penned cookbooks like "Dominique’s Kitchen" and "The Asian Pantry". She won The Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver, Channel 4. Founder of The Woolf’s Kitchen, her tamarind sauce led to her award-winning range of chilli oils and pastes, aiming to inspire cooking excitement.
