Entree: Vietnam – Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City – Cơm Tấm (Vietnamese broken-rice plate topped with grilled marinated pork, pickles, scallion oil, and optional egg and shredded pork)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 15 min

Additional 35 min

Total 50 min

Ingredients

- 2 cups (360 g) broken jasmine rice (cơm tấm), rinsed until water runs clear
- 1 lb (454 g) pork shoulder, thinly sliced into 4 pieces for sườn nướng
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce, divided
- 2 tbsp (30 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced
- 1 shallot (20 g), minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil for marinade
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey or maltose (optional for glaze)
- 4 eggs (approx. 50 g each)
- 1 cup (150 g) shredded carrot and daikon (đồ chua)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) white vinegar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water
- 1 tbsp (15 g) sugar (for pickles)
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt (for pickles)
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 tomato, cut into wedges
- 3 scallions, finely sliced
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (for scallion oil)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil (optional)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce (for nước chấm)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water (for nước chấm)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) sugar (for nước chấm)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice or rice vinegar (for nước chấm)
- 1 small garlic clove, minced (for nước chấm)
- 1–2 bird’s eye chilies, thinly sliced (for nước chấm)
- Optional: 4 tbsp (60 g) shredded pork skin (bì) or pork floss for topping

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook rice — combine rinsed broken rice with 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) water in a rice cooker or pot; cook until tender, then let sit 5 minutes and fluff.
2. Step 2: Make pork marinade — in a bowl mix 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce, 2 tbsp (30 g) sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, minced garlic and shallot, and 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil. Add pork slices and marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
3. Step 3: Prepare pickles — combine shredded carrot and daikon with vinegar, 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water, 1 tbsp (15 g) sugar, and 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt. Let sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes.
4. Step 4: Make scallion oil — heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil until hot but not smoking, pour over sliced scallions in a heatproof bowl, stir in optional sesame oil, set aside.
5. Step 5: Make nước chấm — whisk 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce, 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water, 2 tbsp (30 g) sugar, 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice, minced garlic and sliced chili until sugar dissolves. Adjust sweet/sour/salty to taste.
6. Step 6: Grill pork — heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high. Grill marinated pork 2–3 minutes per side until slightly charred and cooked through; brush with honey if using and char briefly.
7. Step 7: Fry eggs — in a skillet, fry eggs sunny-side up in a little oil until edges are crisp but yolks remain soft.
8. Step 8: Assemble — divide steamed broken rice among 4 plates, spoon scallion oil over rice, top with grilled pork, a fried egg, pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, tomato wedges, and optional shredded pork skin or pork floss. Serve with a bowl of nước chấm for pouring or dipping.