At M\u00e2y Bay, a vegetarian and vegan Vietnamese restaurant in Vincennes, we work with this technique every day, from savoury dishes to desserts. Here\u2019s how to understand it, get it right at home and find it in our cuisine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Vegan Vietnamese caramel, homemade n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u recipe<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Reading time: ~10 mins<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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- What is n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u, this vegan Vietnamese caramel?<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Is Vietnamese caramel really vegan?<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- N\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u or coconut milk caramel: two preparations not to be confused<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Which sugar should you choose for successful vegan Vietnamese caramel?<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- How to make homemade n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u, step by step<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Common mistakes and how to fix them<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Replacing fish sauce in a vegan Vietnamese sauce<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Which plant-based dishes can you use Vietnamese caramel with?<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Storage of homemade n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Vegan Vietnamese caramel in M\u00e2y Bay\u2019s cuisine<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Frequently asked questions about vegan Vietnamese caramel<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Going further with vegan Vietnamese caramel<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What is n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u, this vegan Vietnamese caramel?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
N\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u, sometimes called n\u01b0\u1edbc h\u00e0ng in northern Vietnam, is a concentrated caramel syrup obtained by slowly caramelising sugar<\/a>. It is nothing like Western pastry caramel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Its primary role is to give slow-cooked dishes a mahogany-brown colour, controlled caramel bitterness and aromatic depth that rounds out savoury flavours. In southern Vietnamese cuisine, it serves as a natural flavour enhancer in kho dishes, preparations braised for a long time in a short, glossy sauce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The basic recipe is disarmingly simple, as it relies on just two ingredients: sugar and water. This simplicity explains its popularity in Asian vegan cuisines, since no animal products are involved in the traditional preparation. The entire process depends on controlling the temperature and colour, and stopping the cooking at exactly the right moment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Is Vietnamese caramel really vegan?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In its most classic form, yes. A syrup made solely from granulated white sugar and water is compatible with a vegan diet<\/a>. The problem arises with certain regional or family variations that incorporate fish sauce to achieve a more complex salty Vietnamese caramel. This version, often called fish sauce caramel, is not vegan and should be ruled out whenever you are aiming for a n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u without fish sauce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"vegan](\"https:\/\/maybayrestaurant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/caramel-vietnamien-vegan.webp\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA few other ingredients should be watched for if you buy a ready-made product rather than making your easy homemade Vietnamese caramel. Butter, cream, condensed milk and honey immediately disqualify a vegan Vietnamese caramel sauce. Some refined sugars may also be questionable depending on their filtration process, hence the importance of checking for a vegan label or choosing an unrefined sugar whose origin is clearly stated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
N\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u or coconut milk caramel: two preparations not to be confused<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The confusion is common. N\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u is a salty, bitter, very dark syrup intended for cooking. Vietnamese coconut milk caramel, on the other hand, belongs to the sweet category. Coconut milk or a plant-based cream is added to create a smooth, mild sauce that coats bananas, tapioca or a rice cake. The two share the same technical foundation, the caramelisation of sugar, but not the same role in a meal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This distinction structures our menu. The savoury category draws on the depth of n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u, while the sweet category relies on the roundness of coconut milk, as in our che chuoi, bananas with tapioca pearls, coconut milk and peanuts<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Which sugar should you choose for successful vegan Vietnamese caramel?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Granulated white sugar remains the standard choice for beginners. Neutral in flavour, it allows you to follow the colour's progression very precisely, from transparent to pale yellow, then amber and finally deep reddish brown. Brown sugar, soft brown sugar or palm sugar produce a more distinctive Vietnamese palm sugar caramel, with notes of molasses and dried fruit, but they partially mask changes in colour and make visual assessment more difficult. For a first attempt, it is better to start simply and then explore unrefined sugars.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Good to know<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A few drops of lemon juice added at the beginning of cooking limit sugar crystallisation and make the result more reliable, especially if your saucepan is not perfectly clean.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
How to make homemade n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u, step by step<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Before you begin, gather a heavy-based saucepan, hot water already prepared in a kettle and a clean glass jar. Preparation takes less than fifteen minutes but allows no distractions, as the colour develops very quickly at the end of cooking.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The ingredients for approximately 150 ml of syrup are as follows:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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- 100 to 160 g granulated white sugar, or grated palm sugar for a more aromatic version<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- 60 ml cold water to moisten the sugar initially<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- 120 ml hot water to loosen the caramel at the end of cooking<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- a few drops of lemon juice, optional<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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- Pour the sugar and 60 ml of water into the saucepan, then heat over medium-low heat until completely dissolved.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- As soon as it starts boiling, stop stirring and simply gently swirl the saucepan to even out the colour.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Monitor the colour continuously: the syrup turns yellow, then amber, then very dark brown, close to black coffee or molasses.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Remove from the heat immediately at this stage, as the difference between a good caramel and burnt caramel is a matter of seconds.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Then add the hot water very slowly, keeping your distance and preferably wearing long sleeves.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Return the saucepan to low heat and stir until the solidified pieces have completely dissolved.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Allow to cool before transferring to an airtight container.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Contact between hot water and very hot caramel causes a vigorous reaction, with splashes and steam release<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Important<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Never add cold water to very hot caramel. The thermal shock instantly sets the sugar into hard lumps and increases the risk of hot splashes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Common mistakes and how to fix them<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Caramel that is too pale, too dark or hardens<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Caramel that is too pale lacks colouring power and character. Simply continue cooking for a few moments, keeping an eye on the saucepan. Conversely, caramel that has turned black with an acrid smell cannot be salvaged; the bitterness overwhelms the whole dish and it is best to start again in a clean saucepan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"vegan](\"https:\/\/maybayrestaurant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/caramel-vietnamien-vegan-restaurant-m-y-bay.webp\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf the caramel hardens on contact with water, this is perfectly normal; it will dissolve when gently reheated while stirring. As for sugar crystallisation, this can be prevented by using an impeccable utensil, avoiding any stirring after boiling begins and optionally adding that famous dash of lemon juice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Replacing fish sauce in a vegan Vietnamese sauce<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Creating a plant-based alternative to fish sauce<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This is the heart of the adaptation process. Fish sauce provides salt, umami and a fermented note. To obtain a convincing plant-based equivalent, we combine a n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u base with soy sauce or gluten-free tamari, a little fermented plant-based sauce, rehydrated dried mushrooms and concentrated vegetable stock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Vietnamese aromatics do the rest: crushed lemongrass, fresh ginger, garlic, chilli and a touch of lime juice to liven everything up. The result does not imitate fish sauce; it offers a different, more plant-based depth, but one that is equally well structured.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What vegetable dishes to use Vietnamese caramel with for tofu and vegetables<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Ideas for vegan dishes with Vietnamese caramel<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Vegan n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u00e0u is used wherever a Vietnamese braised dish calls for colour and depth. Tofu kho, inspired by tofu kho t\u00e0u, is its most iconic use, with firm tofu caramelised in a short, glossy sauce. Braised shiitake mushrooms, braised aubergines, roasted squash or simple plain rice all work very well with it. It is also used in vegetable marinades, sweet-and-sour sauces or to adjust the colour of a stock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Here is a comparison of the main variants found in Vietnamese cuisine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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- Is Vietnamese caramel really vegan?<\/a><\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"vegan](\"https:\/\/maybayrestaurant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/caramel-vietnamien-vegan-restaurant-m-y-bay-2.webp\")
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