The familiar scene of eating rice with a pair of chopsticks and one leg propped up on the chair isn’t complete without a comforting dish like thịt rim tôm on the table.
What is Thit Rim Tom?
Thịt Rim Tôm is a fusion of two classic Vietnamese dishes: braised and caramelized black pepper pork (thịt kho tiêu) and braised and caramelized shrimp (tôm rim).
It’s also known by other names: Thịt Kho Tôm, or Thịt Rang Tôm.
This quintessential Vietnamese home-cooked dish consists of quickly braised bite-sized pieces of pork and shrimp in a sticky, savory-sweet fish-sauce-based glaze. The fattiness of the pork gives more flavor to the otherwise lean shrimp.
You’ll unlikely find Thit Tom Rim served in Vietnamese restaurants in the States. But in Vietnam you can often find it in restaurants serving dishes called cơm gia đình (family-style rice meals) or cơm bình dân (commoners’ rice dishes).
It’s typically served with steamed white rice to balance its strong sweet and salty flavors. For a more complete meal, you can also enjoy it with a vegetable stir-fry, a light vegetable soup (canh), or keep it super simple with no-cook sides such as fresh lettuce, tomatoes, or cucumbers.
This is a humble yet delicious dish that will definitely remind you of home. If you’re not Vietnamese, but want to impress one (😉), this is one of the dishes to make. And, it’s not too hard!
Vietnamese Caramelized and Braised Dishes
Caramelized braised dishes are common in Vietnamese home cooking. The rich color of these traditional side dishes comes from caramelizing sugar.
The more traditional method of caramelizing sugar is a bit tricky and smoky. It involves melting white sugar to make a Vietnamese Caramel Sauce (Nước Màu). This process involves slightly burning sugar until it turns a dark amber color. An example of this method is in my Vietnamese Braised Catfish (Cá Kho) and Vietnamese ginger chicken (Gà Kho Gừng) recipes.
Another way to get that classic rich color is using small amount of thick soy sauce or dark soy sauce. Just don’t add too much or else the dish can start to taste more Chinese than Vietnamese.
Another easy way is by using the natural sugars in coconut water during a slow braise like I did here in my easy Vietnamese Braised Pork (Thịt Rim Nước Dừa) recipe. This is great when you have awesomely sweet coconut water and plenty of it in Vietnam, but that’s not the case here in the States.
In this recipe, we’re keeping it super simple by using dark brown sugar for both sweetness and color. It helps the dish come together much more quickly and easily. It’s a great side dish to make for a busy weeknight for a quick rice dinner.
What You Will Need
To make Thit Rim Tom, gather the following ingredients:
- Shrimp — For the best results, use small shrimp labeled size 50 or higher (meaning about 50 shrimp per pound). Choose shrimp with the shell and tail still on. They add a nice crunch and give the dish a more authentic texture. But if you prefer, you can use peeled shrimp instead.
- Pork — You can use either pork shoulder (also called pork butt) or pork belly. Pork belly is a fattier cut. In Vietnamese, it’s called thịt ba chỉ or thịt ba rọi. If you’re using pork belly, a great slicing hack is partially freezing it first. This makes it easier to slice cleanly without the layers slipping around.
- Aromatics — A mix of the white part of green onions, shallots, and garlic adds the iconic Vietnamese fragrance to the dish.
- Seasonings — Fish sauce and sugar are the main seasonings. This sweet and salty combo is a classic in Vietnamese and many Southeast Asian dishes.
- Umami Seasonings — I use a pinch of MSG here for that extra savory umami flavor. You can also use chicken bouillon powder, or a bit of both. You can also skip them entirely but just know the flavor won’t be as amazing.
- Water — This is the braising liquid. Traditionally, coconut water (or coconut soda such as Coco Rico) is used. In this version, we’re keeping it simple with plain water, which still works great and keeps the recipe easy.
- Garnishes — A sprinkle of ground black pepper, the green part of green onions/spring onion, and sliced red Thai chili peppers if you like a spicy kick. These are optional but makes the dish a lot more appetizing when served.
How to Make Thit Rim Tom
Step 1: Prepare the pork and shrimp
Clean the pork and shrimp by rubbing it with salt to remove any lingering porky or shrimp odor. Rinse and drain dry.
Cut the pork into bite-sized strips. Devein the shrimp if needed. Set both aside.
Step 2: Prepare the aromatics
Thinly slice the green onion. Separate the white and green part. Peel the shallot and garlic cloves, then finely mince and set aside.
Step 3: Pan fry the pork
Heat a little oil in a medium skillet. Add the sliced pork in a single layer and let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes on high heat, or until the bottom develops a light brown crust. This adds flavor and gives the pork a head start so it finishes cooking at the same time as the shrimp later.
Step 4: Add shrimp, seasonings and aromatics
Add shrimp, fish sauce, MSG or chicken bouillon powder if using, dark brown sugar, whites of green onions, garlic, and shallot. Mix everything together until fully incorporated and aromatics are slightly toasted and fragrant.
Step 5: Braise
Add water and let everything simmer on medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally so all the pieces get evenly coated in the sauce. It’s ready when most of the water has cooked off and you’re left with a thick glaze clinging to the pork and shrimp.
If the mixture looks too dry or if you prefer more sauce, you can add a little more water. Just don’t add too much. You want a glaze at the end and not broth.
Step 6: Garnish and serve
Once most or all of the liquid has cooked off, it’s done! Garnish with the remaining green onions, chili peppers, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with steamed rice and a side of soup for a complete Vietnamese meal.
Storage & Reheating
This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld, so it’s a great option for meal prepping.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, use the microwave for best results, since the dish doesn’t have much liquid.
You can also reheat it on the stovetop. Toss evenly to avoid burning until heated through.
Description
A quick and easy Vietnamese classic made with pork and shrimp in a sweet and savory fish sauce glaze. This version uses dark brown sugar as a shortcut instead of the traditional method of caramelizing sugar. Serve with hot steamed rice for a complete meal.
- Prepare pork and shrimp: Clean the pork (1 lb) and shrimp (1/2 lb) by rubbing it with an additional tablespoon of salt, rinsing thoroughly, and draining dry. Cut the pork into bite-sized strips about 1/4″ thick. If using pork belly, ensure each strip includes layers of skin, meat, and fat. Set pork aside. To devein the shrimp, remove the dark intestinal tract if it’s still there. Use a toothpick to gently lift the vein from the back of the shrimp, sliding the toothpick under the shell to pull it out. Rinse the shrimp again to remove any leftover vein. Set the shrimp aside.
- Pan fry pork: Heat a little oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced pork in a single layer and let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, or until the bottom develops a light brown crust. This adds flavor and gives the pork a head start so it finishes cooking at the same time as the shrimp later.
- Add shrimp, seasonings and aromatics: Add shrimp (1/2 lb), fish sauce (2-1/2 tbsps), MSG (1/4 tsp) if using, dark brown sugar (2 tbsps), whites of green onion, garlic (3 minced cloves/1 tbsp) and shallot (1 small bulb/2 tbsps). Mix everything together until fully incorporated and aromatics slightly toasted and fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Braise: Add water (1/2 cup) and let everything simmer on medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally so all the pieces get evenly coated in the sauce. It’s ready when most of the water has cooked off and you’re left with a thick glaze clinging to the pork and shrimp. If the mixture looks too dry or if you prefer more sauce, you can add a little more water. Just don’t add too much. You want a glaze at the end and not broth.
- Finish: Once most or all of the liquid has cooked off, garnish with the remaining green onions, chili peppers, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with steamed rice and a side of soup for a complete Vietnamese meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese