Entree: Vietnam – Mekong Delta – Com Tam (Broken rice dish topped with grilled marinated pork, pickled vegetables, scallion oil, and a fried egg)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 25 min

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

- 2 cups (400 g) broken rice (or jasmine rice if broken rice unavailable)
- 4 bone-in pork chops, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp (25 g) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
- 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (7 g) lemongrass, finely minced
- 1 tsp (5 g) black pepper
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil for marinade
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) vegetable oil for frying eggs
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for scallion oil
- 1 cup (120 g) shredded pickled carrots and daikon (see quick pickles)
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Lime wedges for serving
- For quick pickles:
  - 1 cup (120 g) julienned carrots
  - 1 cup (120 g) julienned daikon
  - 1/2 cup (120 ml) rice vinegar
  - 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
  - 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
  - 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- For nuoc cham (dipping sauce):
  - 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce
  - 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
  - 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
  - 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
  - 1 clove (3 g) garlic, minced
  - 1 small red chili, thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the quick pickles: combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until dissolved; add julienned carrots and daikon and chill at least 30 minutes.
2. Make the pork marinade: in a bowl mix 3 tbsp fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, lemongrass, black pepper, and 3 tbsp vegetable oil. Add pork chops and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight.
3. Cook the rice: rinse broken rice until water runs clear. Combine 2 cups (400 g) rice with 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups (540–600 ml) water in a rice cooker or pot; cook until tender and let rest covered 10 minutes.
4. Prepare scallion oil: heat 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil over low heat until hot but not smoking. Add the white parts of the sliced scallions and briefly sizzle 20–30 seconds until fragrant, then remove from heat and stir in green parts; set aside.
5. Make nuoc cham: dissolve 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar in 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce, 1/4 cup (60 ml) lime juice, minced garlic and chili; taste and adjust balance of sweet, sour, and salty.
6. Grill or broil pork: preheat grill or broiler to medium-high. Grill pork chops 3–5 minutes per side until nicely charred and cooked through (internal temp ~145°F / 63°C). Let rest 5 minutes and slice thinly.
7. Fry eggs: heat 4 tbsp (60 ml) oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Crack eggs and fry until edges are crispy and yolks cooked to preference.
8. Assemble plates: mound broken rice, top with a sliced pork chop, a fried egg, a spoonful of pickled carrots/daikon, cucumber and tomato slices. Drizzle scallion oil over rice and protein, serve nuoc cham on the side with lime wedges.
9. Serve immediately while pork and eggs are hot; guests mix nuoc cham to taste over the plate.