Caramelized Seabass in claypot (Ca seabass kho to)

It's been a long hiatus since my last post and to be honest I almost forgot how to do the posting on my own blog. My disappearance partly has to do with being a busy mom with kids and their activities as always and also guilty as charged for my laziness as well. Okay, enough of the excuses. Let's us get to the point. I think this recipe would be a perfect start  for my coming back since it's absolutely delicious but yet so easy that will take no time and effort to prepare. Unlike the traditional catfish in claypot, the texture and buttery taste of the seabass will satisfy the pickiest eater's taste bud. Another advantage with seabass is that you will never run into the problem of muddy smell or taste as occasionally seen in catfish. Trust me on this and your family will love you forever .... okay maybe until the next quarrel:)
It can be served along with other side dishes such as blanched vegetables (bok choi, okra, cabagge...) or vegetable soup for a nice but breezy family meal or just accompanied with a bowl of steamed rice for a quick lunch. Regardless of how you choose to serve it, your tummy is in for a delectable treat. 

Ingredients: 

1. 1 lb of seabass filet (skinless and boneless preferred)
2. 2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)
3. 1-2 shallots (minced)
4. Fish sauce, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, mushroom seasoning, black pepper, salt, oil, chili powder and 1/3 cup of water

Method:

- Rinse the seabass filets well and pat dry.
- Season lightly with salt, 1.5  tsp of fish sauce, 1.5-2  tsp of sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, mushroom seasoning, black pepper, chili powder and half of the minced garlic and shallot mixture.
- Let the fish marinade for about 30 minutes.
- In a medium size clay pot on medium heat, add 2 tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of oil, let the sugar caramelized into a nice molasses color then quickly add in the remaining half of the minced garlic and shallot mixture. Stir well for 30 seconds until fragrant then add the seabass filets into the pot. 
- Flip the filets several times to get a nice coating of the caramel. When the fish slightly turns opaque,  add in the water and let it simmer on low-medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes until 3/4 of the liquid evaporated. 
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tsp of fish sauce and 2 tsp of sugar. Add the mixture into the pot and turn the fish to make sure each piece evenly coated with the fish sauce mixture.  Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking with more or less sugar or fish sauce as needed. It should taste slightly sweet and salty at the same time. Let it simmer for another 1 minute or 2 until the sauce is slightly thicken. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped green onions and whole red chili peppers if desired. Served hot with steamed rice and vegetables. Enjoy!