Vietnamese Caramel Fish Couscous with Bok Choy and Crispy Garlic

Name: Vietnamese Caramel Fish Couscous with Bok Choy and Crispy Garlic
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) skinless white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or sea bass), about 1 inch thick, patted dry with paper towels; 1½ cups (280 g) couscous (pearl or Moroccan); 2¼ cups (540 ml) chicken or vegetable broth; 1 lb (450 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise, halved lengthwise, rinsed; 8 cloves (40 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce; 3 tbsp (40 g) packed brown sugar; ¼ cup (60 ml) water (for caramel); 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or peanut), divided; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice; ½ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, roughly chopped (optional); 3 whole (30 g) scallions, sliced, sliced, white and green parts separated (optional); ¼ tsp (½ g) red chili flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant Vietnamese-inspired couscous bowl featuring tender flaked white fish glazed in a rich caramel-fish sauce, served over fluffy couscous with tender bok choy and crispy garlic chips. The sweet, savory, and umami flavors create a balanced bowl that's ready in under 45 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 4 bowls

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

1½ lb (680 g) skinless white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or sea bass), about 1 inch thick, patted dry with paper towels
1½ cups (280 g) couscous (pearl or Moroccan)
2¼ cups (540 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb (450 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise, halved lengthwise, rinsed
8 cloves (40 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced, thinly sliced
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
3 tbsp (40 g) packed brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) water (for caramel)
4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or peanut), divided
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice
½ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, roughly chopped (optional)
3 whole (30 g) scallions, sliced, sliced, white and green parts separated (optional)
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red chili flakes (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large skillet or sauté pan (12-inch)
Medium saucepan with lid
Small saucepan
Paper towels
Shallow bowl
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Fish spatula or thin metal turner

Steps

Before you start

Pat the fish dry before cooking to achieve a golden crust
Have all ingredients measured and prepped before starting—the cooking happens quickly
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point (vegetable or peanut oil)
Fish sauce smells pungent raw but mellows beautifully when cooked

1
Make crispy garlic chips
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes until the edges turn golden but the centers remain pale.
- The garlic will continue to darken slightly off heat.
- Transfer immediately to a paper towel–lined shallow bowl to drain and crisp.
- Season lightly with salt.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Garlic is golden at the edges and crispy when cool
Tip: Watch the garlic carefully—it burns quickly. Remove it just before it reaches your desired color, as carryover cooking will deepen it.
2
Start couscous broth
- In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the couscous.
- Cover with a lid and let sit (don't uncover).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed
Tip: Use hot broth so the couscous cooks evenly. Don't stir it while sitting—this keeps it fluffy.
3
Make caramel glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes amber-colored, about 5–6 minutes.
- Remove from heat and carefully stir in the fish sauce (the mixture will bubble).
- Set aside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is amber and fragrant, fish sauce is fully incorporated
Tip: Be careful when adding fish sauce—the hot caramel will bubble up. Use a long spoon and pour slowly.
4
Season and sear fish
- Pat the fish fillets dry with fresh paper towels.
- Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 1.5 tablespoons (23 ml) of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Place the fish fillets in the pan (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding) and cook without moving them for 4–5 minutes until the bottom is golden and opaque about ¼ inch up the sides.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Fish bottom is golden brown and edges are opaque
Tip: Don't move the fish while cooking—let it develop a golden crust. This takes about 4–5 minutes per side depending on thickness.
5
Flip and finish fish
- Carefully flip the fish fillets using a fish spatula.
- Cook for another 3–4 minutes on the second side until the flesh is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork (the thickest part should reach 145°F / 63°C on an instant-read thermometer).
- The fish may break slightly when flipping—this is normal.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily; internal temperature is 145°F (63°C)
Tip: If the fish sticks, give it another 30 seconds—it will release once the crust is set.
6
Glaze the fish
- Pour the caramel-fish sauce glaze over the cooked fish fillets and gently tilt the pan so the glaze coats them.
- Cook for 1 minute, turning gently to coat all sides.
- Remove the pan from heat.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Fish is coated in glossy caramel sauce
Tip: Work gently so the cooked fish doesn't break apart. The glaze will cling to the fish as it cools slightly.
7
Cook bok choy
- In the large skillet (after removing the fish, or in a separate pan if needed), heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the bok choy halves cut-side down and cook for 2–3 minutes until the cut sides are golden and tender.
- Flip and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bok choy is tender and lightly caramelized
Tip: Don't move the bok choy while it cooks on the first side—this helps it develop flavor and color.
8
Assemble bowls
- Fluff the couscous with a fork and divide among four serving bowls.
- Top each with a seared fish fillet and its glaze, and arrange bok choy alongside.
- Drizzle with the lime juice and scatter the crispy garlic chips, cilantro, white parts of the scallions, and chili flakes over the top.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bowls are assembled and ready to serve
Tip: Serve immediately while the fish and bok choy are still warm and the garlic chips are crispy.

Good to know

Tips

The caramel-fish sauce glaze is the soul of this dish—don't skip the caramelization step. The sugar's deepening color brings complexity that plain fish sauce alone cannot match.
Invest in a good fish spatula or thin metal turner. It makes flipping delicate fillets much easier and prevents breakage.
If the couscous dries out before serving, fluff it with a fork and add a splash of warm broth to refresh it.
The lime juice is essential—it brightens the rich, savory glaze and balances the caramel's sweetness. Squeeze it fresh just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Store leftover couscous, fish, and bok choy separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The crispy garlic is best served fresh but will keep in a dry container for 1 day. To reheat, warm the fish and bok choy gently in a skillet over medium heat; reheat couscous in the microwave with a splash of broth. Do not freeze crispy garlic as it will lose its texture.

Substitutions

skinless white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or sea bass), about 1 inch thick → halibut, flounder, or mahi-mahi fillets. Use fillets of similar thickness (about 1 inch). Adjust cooking time if thicker or thinner—aim for 145°F internal temperature.
baby bok choy, halved lengthwise → broccoli florets, gai lan, or baby spinach. Broccoli and gai lan will need 4–5 minutes of cooking; spinach just needs to wilt in 1 minute.
couscous (pearl or Moroccan) → jasmine rice, quinoa, or small pasta. Adjust liquid ratios: jasmine rice needs 1:1.5 liquid-to-rice ratio; quinoa needs 1:2. Couscous absorbs quickly so uses proportionally more liquid.
fish sauce → soy sauce or tamari (use 2 tbsp instead of 3 tbsp). Soy sauce is less funky-smelling but adds less umami. You may want to add a tiny pinch of salt to compensate.