CƠM TẤM | Vietnamese broken rice

Originally, cơm tấm was a simple, everyday dish. Over time, it became one of the most iconic specialities of Saigon.

Made with broken rice, it is usually served with a grilled pork chop, shredded pork mixed with thin strips of pork skin (bì), a steamed egg and pork loaf (chả trứng), pickled vegetables such as carrot and white radish, and a little spring onion oil.

The dish is accompanied by a sweet-and-sour nuoc mam dipping sauce, which gives it its characteristic balance of savoury, sweet and slightly tangy flavours.

(Photo: Archive)

Ingredients – Serves 2–3

4 medium-sized pork chops
300 g broken rice
60 g white rice, for making roasted rice powder
100 g ready-to-use pork skin (bì)
3 eggs
50 g minced lean pork
50 g mung bean glass noodles
A little dried wood ear mushroom
5 small stalks lemongrass
Finely chopped garlic, shallots and chilli
A little finely sliced spring onion
Vegetables for serving: tomatoes, cucumber, carrots and white radish
Seasoning to taste: honey, nuoc mam, salt, oyster sauce, ground pepper, sugar and vinegar

Pork skin (Photo: Archive)

Mung bean glass noodles (Photo: Archive)

Cooking the Rice

Rinse the broken rice 2 to 3 times with clean water, then drain.

Using a rice cooker:
Place the rice in the rice cooker, add the usual amount of water and cook as you would regular rice.

Without a rice cooker:
Place the rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add enough water to cover it by about 1 cm.

Bring to the boil over medium heat. As soon as the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, without lifting the lid.

Turn off the heat and leave the rice to rest, still covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently fluff the grains with a fork before serving.

Preparing the Grilled Pork Chops

Quickly rinse the pork chops, then pat them dry thoroughly with absorbent paper. Using a meat mallet, lightly flatten them to tenderise the meat and help them cook more evenly.

Prepare the marinade with 5 crushed lemongrass stalks, 1 tablespoon seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon nuoc mam, ¼ tablespoon ground pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped shallots and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic.

Mix well, then coat the pork chops thoroughly with the marinade. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Marinating the pork (Photo: Archive)

Then grill the pork chops on a barbecue, turning them regularly, until they are nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.

In the oven or air fryer: cook at 180°C, turning the meat halfway through, until golden and fully cooked. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the pork chops.

Preparing the Steamed Chả Trứng

Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes to rehydrate them. Rinse, remove the tough stems, then finely chop them.

Soak the mung bean glass noodles for about 10 minutes, drain them, then cut them into small pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the minced pork, wood ear mushrooms and glass noodles.

Add 2 whole eggs and 1 egg white. Reserve the remaining yolk to brush over the surface during cooking.

Season with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar,

Steamed chả trứng (Photo: Archive)

1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon chopped shallots.
Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Steaming the Chả Trứng

Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled mould, then spread it evenly.

Steam for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture is fully set.

Lightly beat the reserved egg yolk, then gently spread it over the entire surface of the chả trứng. Continue steaming for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface is set and beautifully golden.

Leave to cool slightly for a few minutes before removing from the mould and cutting into portions.

Tip: During the final minutes of steaming, prevent condensation from dripping onto the surface to maintain a smooth, even golden-yellow colour.

Preparing the Pickled Vegetables

Peel and rinse the carrot and white radish, then cut them into fine julienne strips.

In a bowl, combine 100 ml vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon salt, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Pour the marinade over the vegetables, mix well, then leave to marinate for about 1 hour.

Drain the vegetables lightly before serving them with the cơm tấm.

They can be enjoyed as soon as they have finished marinating or stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for later use.

Preparing the Spring Onion Oil

Finely slice the spring onions, then add ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon sugar. Mix well.

Heat enough oil until very hot, but do not let it smoke.

Pour the hot oil over the spring onions and mix gently. The heat of the oil is enough to soften the spring onions while preserving their colour and aroma.

Leave to cool slightly before serving with the cơm tấm.

Spring onion oil (Photo: Archive)

Preparing the Pork Skin (Bì)

Use 100 g ready-to-use pork skin (bì), sold in packets in Asian grocery stores.

Place it in a bowl and gently separate the strands using your fingers or chopsticks.

If necessary, add a little roasted rice powder to achieve the characteristic texture and aroma of the bì served with cơm tấm.

Mix gently, then set aside until ready to serve.

Pork skin (bì) (Photo: Archive)

Preparing the Sweet-and-Sour Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons nuoc mam, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons warm water and 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved, without allowing the mixture to boil vigorously. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Then add ½ tablespoon nuoc mam and ½ tablespoon vinegar. Mix, taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preference.

Wash the chillies, place them in a small saucepan and add just

Sweet-and-sour nuoc mam dipping sauce
(Photo: Archive)

enough water to cover them. Cook for a few minutes until softened, then drain.

Crush the chillies with a spoon or mortar, then add them to the sauce according to your preferred level of spiciness.

Tip: The sauce for cơm tấm should be well balanced, slightly sweet and tangy, while still preserving the distinctive flavour of nuoc mam.

Finishing the Nuoc Mam Sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small frying pan, then add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic and sauté until lightly golden and fragrant.

Add the crushed chillies, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Mix well and cook over low heat for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then stir this mixture into the nuoc mam sauce prepared earlier.

Mix thoroughly, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

The sauce is now ready to serve with cơm tấm.

Saigon broken rice (Photo: Archive)

Serving and Enjoying

Place a portion of cooked broken rice in a small bowl, press it down lightly, then turn it out onto the centre of a plate for an attractive presentation.

Drizzle a little spring onion oil over the rice to add extra aroma and colour.

Cut the tomatoes and cucumber into thin slices, then arrange them around the rice with a few pickled vegetables.

Add a grilled pork chop, a portion of steamed chả trứng and some pork skin (bì). Serve with a small bowl of sweet-and-sour nuoc mam dipping sauce on the side.

When eating, spoon a little sauce over the rice according to your taste. The combination of fragrant grilled pork, soft chả trứng, bì, fresh and pickled vegetables, and spring onion oil creates the characteristic balance of Saigon cơm tấm.

Enjoy your meal!

REGIONAL DISHES

NORTHERN VIETNAM

HANOI

SAPA

HA LONG BAY

NINH BINH – HALONG BAY ON LAND

MAI CHAU

MOC CHAU

DIEN BIEN PHU

CENTRAL VIETNAM

PHONG NHA / QUANG BINH

QUANG TRI

HUE

DA NANG

HOI AN

SOUTHERN VIETNAM

NHA TRANG

PHAN THIET – MUI NE

HO CHI MINH CITY

MEKONG DELTA

PHU QUOC

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

DA LAT

BUON MA THUOT

CƠM TẤM | Vietnamese broken rice

Hue Voyage est une marque de Trúc Lam – Société Unipersonnelle de Commerce et de Services.

Agence de voyage francophone basée à Hué