Broken rice Saigon style (cơm tấm) is one of the most popular Vietnamese dishes, and if you come to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it’s worth trying at least once. One plate brings together grilled pork chop, steamed pork with egg custard, pork skin, and vegetables such as tomato and cucumber. Many Vietnamese people eat it for breakfast as well as lunch. Plan ahead: the pork chop marinates in the fridge for one night, and the sticky rice soaks for one night. The pork for the bì marinates for 3 to 4 hours, and the peziza and Chinese vermicelli soak for about 1 hour. Ingredients For the grilled pork chop 3 slices of pork chop 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil Spring onion and pepper For the bì (pork skin) 400 g pork meat of the rump 200 g pork skin ½ bowl of sticky rice Salt, sugar, pepper, garlic, fish sauce For the steamed pork and egg custard 4 eggs ⅓ bowl of ground pork 1–2 pinches of Chinese vermicelli ¼ onion Some peziza Sugar, pepper, salt, fish sauce and fried onion For the sides and serving Vietnamese dipping fish sauce (the original links to a separate recipe for it) Chili, sugar, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, spring onion, carrot, salt, turnip (optional), cucumber and tomato Broken rice How to make cơm tấm 1. Grill the pork chop Clean the pork chop and scald it with hot water for about 3 to 5 minutes. Pat it dry with a towel, then add the honey, salt, fish sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, sliced garlic, sesame oil and smashed fried onion. Mix, cover carefully and leave it in the fridge for one night. The next day, grill the pork chop until it turns brown-yellow all over. While it grills, don’t forget to spread the marinade from the pork chop over the surface from time to time. 2. Make the bì (pork skin) Buy basic pork skin (bì heo) at a Vietnamese market. Clean the pork, add sliced garlic, fish sauce, salt, pepper and sugar (if you like it hot, you can add some chilis), and marinate for about 3 to 4 hours. Then fry the pork in olive oil until it turns brown-yellow. Wait until it is no longer hot and cut it into small, long pieces. Clean the sticky rice and soak it in water for one night. The next day, pour it into a basket and let it drain dry. Roast it in a pan until it all turns yellow. Grind the roasted sticky rice until smooth. Mix it with the pork skin and the sliced pork. 3. Make the steamed pork with egg custard Soak the peziza and the Chinese vermicelli in water for about 1 hour. Cut off the root of the peziza and slice it small. Peel the onion and slice it small as well. Mix the ground pork with the Chinese vermicelli, peziza, onion, fried onion, the 4 egg whites and 3 of the yolks. Keep 1 yolk back to spread over the top. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar. Pour the mixture into a bowl and steam it for about 20 to 35 minutes. To test it, push a toothpick gently into the mixture: if the toothpick comes out dry, it’s cooked. Then spread the last yolk over the surface and steam for about 3 to 5 more minutes. Let it cool a little before you cut it. 4. Make the spring onion with oil Cut the spring onion small and mix it with olive oil. Put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to cook it. 5. Make the carrot with vinegar Slice the carrot into long, small pieces, add a little salt and wait about 15 minutes. Press the water out with your hand. Then add a little vinegar and sugar, tasting to suit your flavour. You can use turnip together with the carrot. 6. Serve Scoop broken rice onto a plate and add the grilled pork, pork skin, steamed pork with egg custard, spring onion with oil, carrot with vinegar, tomato and cucumber. Eat it with Vietnamese dipping fish sauce. Share:
