Vietnamese Cơm Tấm (Broken Rice with Grilled Pork)

  • Total time - 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Preparation - 30 minutes
  • Cooking time - 45 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Vietnam
A plate of Vietnamese Cơm Tấm with a mound of broken rice, grilled pork chop, a slice of egg meatloaf, and fresh vegetables.

Cơm Tấm is one of the most authentic Vietnamese street foods. Each serving is an art form, with perfectly combined flavors and textures, from the juicy meat to the tender meatloaf and the freshness of the vegetables. This recipe will show you how to prepare all the key components to enjoy a complete Vietnamese culinary experience at home.

Ingredients

For the Broken Rice & Main Components

  • 2 cups broken rice
  • 4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless
  • steamed egg meatloaf (chả trứng), prepared
  • shredded pork skin (bì), optional

For the Marinade (Sườn Nướng)

  • 1 tablespoon lemongrass, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 shallots, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • black pepper

For the Egg Meatloaf (Chả Trứng Hấp)

  • 200 g ground pork
  • 5 g dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked and chopped
  • 10 g glass noodles, soaked and chopped
  • 3 pieces eggs
  • 1 shallots, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • black pepper and a pinch of sugar

For Serving

  • sweet and sour nước chấm sauce
  • fresh cucumber slices
  • tomato slices
  • pickled vegetables

Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the pork chops

In a bowl, combine lemongrass, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, honey, and black pepper. Rub the marinade thoroughly onto the pork chops. Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

Step 2: Prepare the egg meatloaf (Chả Trứng)

Chop the soaked mushrooms and glass noodles. In a bowl, mix the ground pork with the mushrooms, noodles, fish sauce, shallots, and seasoning. Whisk the eggs and mix into the pork mixture. Pour into a heatproof dish and steam for about 20-25 minutes until firm.

Step 3: Cook the broken rice

Rinse the broken rice well. Cook in a rice cooker or on the stove using a 1:1 ratio of rice to water. It cooks faster than regular rice.

Step 4: Grill the pork chops

Heat the grill to a medium-high temperature. Grill the pork chops for 5-7 minutes per side, brushing with any remaining marinade to create a beautiful caramelized glaze.

Step 5: Prepare the sauce and serve

Place a generous scoop of broken rice on a plate. Top with a grilled pork chop and a slice of the steamed egg meatloaf. Add shredded pork skin. Arrange cucumber and tomato slices on the side. Drizzle the entire dish with sweet and sour nước chấm sauce and serve immediately.