Sticky, sweet, savory, and coated in a deep caramel sauce that soaks right into your rice- Vietnamese caramelized shrimp (tom rim) was made for weeknight dinners! If you grew up in a Vietnamese household, tom rim was probably a weeknight staple and for good reason. It takes 15 minutes and a handful of pantry staples that deliver seamless flavor everytime.
The flavors of this Vietnamese caramelized shrimp is essentially the same flavor as my thit kho trung recipe! It's a flavor base you'll find in a lot of quick Vietnamese recipes.
What is Vietnamese caramelized shrimp (tôm rim)?
Tôm rim also often known as tom rang is a classic Vietnamese shrimp (tôm) dish that is braised and caramelized (rim) in a savory sweet sauce made from sugar, fish sauce, aromatics and water or coconut soda.
The dish relies on the same caramel based us in many Vietnamese braises like Vietnamese braised pork belly and eggs, but because shrimp cooks so quickly, this version is ready in a fraction of the time! Thit kho tom is actually a close cousin to this dish. While thit kho tom has pork belly and smaller shrimp, this tom rim recipe uses only large shrimp as the star.
Why you'll love this tom rim
- Ready in 15 minutes
- High in protein
- No peeling needed
- One pan meal
- Uses only a few core ingredients, with some pantry staples
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Ingredients
- Large shell-on shrimp: I'm using black tiger shrimp for this recipe but any large shrimp or prawns will work.
- Garlic cloves: Use fresh garlic! This recipe only uses a few core ingredients so there's no need to skimp on ingredients.
- Shallot: For a subtle sweetness and depth.
- MSG: Adds a deeper umami and rounds out all the savory flavors. Mushroom powder can also be used as a substitution.
- Salt: Seasons the shrimp marinade.
- Fish sauce: Gives the shrimp their signature taste.
- Sugar: The base of our glaze.
- Oil: To caramelize the sugar.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a bowl, add the shrimp, minced garlic, minced shallot, MSG and salt. Toss everything together until the shrimp is well coated. Let them marinate while we caramelize the sugar.
- Step 2: In a pan over low heat, add oil and sugar. Give it a light stir so the oil coats the sugar. Allow the sugar to heat up and begin melting, until it turns into a dark amber color.
- Step 3: Once the caramel is a dark amber color, add the marinated shrimp. Cook on one side until they begin curling and start to turn opaque. Give the shrimp a flip, pour in the fish sauce and water and continue cooking on the other side.
- Step 4: Allow the sauce to begin thickening into a glossy glaze. If the shrimp is cooking faster than the sauce is reducing, remove the shrimp from heat until the sauce thickens. Add back in the shrimp and toss to coat. Top with freshly cracked black pepper and sliced scallions. Enjoy with a fluffy bowl of jasmine rice and cucumbers.
Top tip
If the shrimp is cooking faster than the glaze is thickening, remove the shrimp from the pan until the glaze has reduced and then add the shrimp back in and toss to coat.
Substitutions and Variations
This caramelized fish sauce is a common base for a lot of Vietnamese recipes! Some of my favorite protein swaps in place of shrimp are:
- Firm tofu - Pressed and cubed.
- Pork belly or pork shoulder - Thinly sliced for a lean meat to fat ratio.
- Chicken thighs - Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Salmon - For those omega-3s.
Storage and Reheating
Store it in an air tight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat, add the shrimp to a pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the glaze. Heat until warmed through.
FAQ
Mushroom powder is a good substitute for MSG if you don't have MSG on hand.
Yes! The shell on the shrimp gives the shrimp a crispy and crunchy texture that is perfectly edible.
Shell-on shrimp is recommended but not required, especially if you're not a fan of the shell. The shell gives the shrimp more flavor and protects it from being overcooked, which results in a moister shrimp. Feel free to peel it but watch the shrimp carefully when cooking it because it is more susceptible to overcooking.
Other recipes to try:
- 2 day pickled mustard greens recipe
- Thai inspired shrimp cocktail
- Crispy air fryer coconut shrimp
- Ginger scallion steamed fish (Ready in 20 minutes!)
Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp (Tom Rim)
Ingredients
- 12 oz large shell-on shrimp
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ small shallot minced
- ¼ teaspoon MSG
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsps sugar
- 2 tbsps oil
- 1 ½ tbsps fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- Black pepper for garnishing
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the shrimp, minced garlic, minced shallot, MSG and salt. Toss everything together until the shrimp is well coated. Let them marinate while we caramelize the sugar.
- In a pan over low heat, add oil and sugar. Give it a light stir so the oil coats the sugar. Allow the sugar to heat up and begin melting, until it turns into a dark amber color.
- Once the caramel is a dark amber color, add the marinated shrimp. Cook on one side until they begin curling and start to turn opaque. Give the shrimp a flip, pour in the fish sauce and water and continue cooking on the other side.
- Allow the sauce to begin thickening into a glossy glaze. If the shrimp is cooking faster than the sauce is reducing, remove the shrimp from heat until the sauce thickens. Add back in the shrimp and toss to coat. Top with freshly cracked black pepper and sliced scallions. Enjoy with a fluffy bowl of jasmine rice and cucumbers.
Notes
- Don't rush the caramel: keep the heat on low until it turns a deep amber color.
- If the shrimp is cooking faster than the glaze is thickening, remove the shrimp from the pan until the glaze has reduced and then add the shrimp back in and toss to coat.
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