How to make broken rice com tam

Com tam, or broken rice, has evolved into a culinary icon of Saigon. It features French-style grilled pork cutlets, Chinese-inspired egg rolls, and northern Vietnamese-style shredded pork skin, all harmonized by the sweet and sour fish sauce characteristic of central Vietnamese cuisine.

Originally known as a dish associated with less affluent families, com tam utilized leftover broken rice grains from milling. Traditionally, it was served with egg rolls and pork skins. However, modern iterations of broken rice offer a variety of toppings to cater to diverse tastes.

Known for its combination of sa bi chuong, or Vietnamese word play of suon, bi, cha which are pork cutlets, pork skins, and egg rolls respectively, com tam can be easily found throughout the city, at any time of day.

This recipe serves about 4 to 5 people, takes approximately 105 minutes to prepare, and provides around 3,045 calories in total.

Ingredients

- 800 grams of pork cutlets or pork collar

- 200 grams ground pork

- 200 grams pork skins

- 150 grams pork shoulder

- 100 grams pork fat

- 2 wood ear mushrooms

- 1 handful of cellophane noodles

- 1 radish

- 1 carrot

- 1 handful of scallions

- Lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chili

- Coconut water

- Spices: fish sauce, salt, sugar, stock powder, pepper, caramel sauce, Vietnamese sate sauce, honey, oyster sauce, condensed milk (optional)

- Annatto oil

- 6-7 chicken eggs

- Thinh gao - rice auditorium

Instructions

1. Cooking process

a. For the grilled meat

- Rinse the pork cutlets or pork collar to remove any impurities and then dry it by patting it with paper towels or a clean cloth.

- Cut the meat into pieces and tenderize the meat by pounding it with a meat mallet or the back of a knife.

- Marinate the meat with a teaspoon each of sugar, honey, and condensed milk for 3-5 minutes. These ingredients will add sweetness and help tenderize the meat during the marination process.

- After the initial marination, add chopped lemongrass, garlic, and crushed onions to the meat. Continue marinating for another 3-5 minutes.

- Lastly, incorporate a teaspoon each of salt, fish sauce, and oyster sauce into the marinade mixture. Allow the meat to marinate for a few more minutes.

- Coat the marinated meat evenly with annatto oil or cooking oil. This coating helps prevent the meat from sticking to the grill and promotes even cooking.

- Grill the coated meat over charcoal until it is fully cooked. Ensure to turn the meat occasionally to ensure even cooking on all sides.

- If you lack a charcoal stove, you can opt to grill the meat in an oven or using an air fryer.

When the meat is properly grilled, it should have an even coating of brown color. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

b. For the egg rolls

- Begin by soaking both the wood ear mushrooms and cellophane noodles in water until they are soft and rehydrated. Once softened, chop them finely into small pieces.

- Cut half of the carrot along with scallions into small, diced pieces.

- Separate 3 egg yolks and set them aside for spreading on the surface of the dish. Reserve the remaining egg white for making egg rolls.

- In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork with the chopped mushrooms, cellophane noodles, onions, carrots, and 2 whole eggs plus the remaining egg white.

- Season the mixture with a teaspoon each of fish sauce, salt, stock powder, and cooking oil.

- Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly to ensure even distribution of flavors.

- Brush cooking oil into a mold or large bowl to prevent sticking.

- Pour the mixed egg and meat mixture into the greased mold or bowl, wrapping it in foil.

- Steam the mixture for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the dish. If the toothpick comes out dry and fragrant, it means that the dish is cooked through.

- Spread the reserved beaten egg yolks and a little annatto oil evenly over the surface of the steamed dish.

- Steam for an additional 8-10 minutes to allow the yolks to set.

- Optionally, for improved appearance and texture, you can bake the egg rolls in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes.

- Once the egg rolls are cooked and cooled, remove them from the mold or bowl, and then cut them into bite-sized pieces for serving.

Once the egg rolls are cooked, they should showcase a yellow top layer, owing to the presence of egg yolk. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

c. For the shredded pork skins

- Remove any hair from the pork skins.

- Rub the pork skins with lime and salt to clean and remove any unwanted odors.

- Boil the skins until it's cooked through.

- Remove the cooked skins from the boiling water and soak it in a bowl of ice water to cool it down.

- Once cooled, drain the pork skins and remove any remaining fat.

- Use a knife to cut the skins into bite-sized pieces.

- Combine chopped shallots, garlic, along with half a teaspoon each of fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and oyster sauce with the pork shoulder. Mix well.

- Allow the meat to marinate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to absorb.

- Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat.

- Add the marinated meat to the pan. Fry the meat until it's browned and cooked evenly on both sides.

- Once the meat is cooked, combine it with the prepared pork skins.

- Pour fresh coconut water into the pan with the cooked meat and pork skins. Stir the mixture until the meat is cooked through.

- Allow the liquid to reduce until it has dried up.

- Once the liquid has dried up, remove the meat from the pan and let it cool slightly.

- Once cooled, cut the cooked meat into thin strips for serving.

- Place the shredded meat and pork skins into a bowl.

- Season the mixture with a spoonful of rice auditorium and half a teaspoon each of salt, stock powder, and pepper. Mix well.

After coating the shredded meat and pork skins with thinh gao, they acquire a dry texture. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

d. For the pickles

- Peel the radishes and carrots and cut them into stripes.

- Place the cut radishes and carrots in a bowl.

- Add a little salt to the bowl and allow the vegetables to sit for some time. This helps to draw out moisture from the vegetables and makes the pickles crisper.

- After a while, rinse the vegetables with clean water to remove excess saltiness.

- Gently squeeze the vegetables to remove excess water.

- In a separate pot, boil a mixture of sugar and vinegar in a 2:1 ratio.

- Add a little salt to the mixture and stir until dissolved.

- Allow the sugar vinegar mixture to cool completely.

- Place the rinsed and drained radishes and carrots into a clean glass jar.

- Pour the cooled sugar vinegar mixture into the jar, ensuring that all the vegetables are submerged in the liquid.

- Allow the pickles to sit in the jar for at least 2 hours before using.

- If you've made a large batch and want to preserve it for a longer period, store the pickles in a sterilized and dried glass jar. Keep the jar of pickles in the refrigerator for later use. Properly stored pickles can last for up to a month.

e. For the scallion oil

- Wash the scallions thoroughly to remove any dirt, then drain well.

- Cut the scallions into small pieces and place them in a bowl.

- Sprinkle a little sugar over the chopped green onions in the bowl.

- Cut the pork fat into cubes.

- Fry the fat in a pan until it releases its fat and turns crispy.

- Remove the fried fat from the pan, leaving behind the rendered fat. Keep the rendered fat separate for later use.

- Take 2 tablespoons of the hot rendered fat and pour it over the chopped scallions in the bowl.

- Stir the mixture together until the onions are slightly cooked but still retain their freshness and color.

- Quickly add 2 tablespoons of cool pork fat or oil to the mixture. This sudden change in temperature helps to shock the scallions, preserving their fragrance and freshness even if left for an extended period.

Fried pork fat can be used as a topping for broken rice. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

f. For the vegetables

- Wash the lettuce thoroughly to remove any dirt or impurities, then drain to remove excess water.

- Wash the cucumbers and peel them if desired. Then, cut the cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.

- Wash the tomatoes and slice them into thin slices.

The lettuce chosen should be free from any signs of yellowing or tearing. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

g. For the fried eggs

- Place a non-stick frying pan or skillet on the stove over medium heat. Allow it to preheat for a minute or two.

- Once the pan is hot, add a small amount of cooking oil. Swirl the pan to ensure the bottom is evenly coated.

- Crack the desired number of eggs into the pan, and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over each egg to taste.

- Let the eggs cook undisturbed until the whites are set and the edges are crispy. If you prefer over-easy eggs, gently flip them using a spatula after about 2-3 minutes of cooking to briefly cook the other side. For over-medium or over-hard eggs, cook for a bit longer until the yolks reach your desired consistency.

- Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, carefully transfer them to a plate using a spatula.

Fry the eggs until the whites are no longer translucent, while ensuring that the yolk remains runny. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

h. For the rice

- Soak rice for a brief period, then rinse it gently before cooking.

- Once the rice is cooked, transfer it into a small bowl and invert it onto a serving plate for presentation.

i. For the sweet fish sauce

- Place a pot on the stove and add 200 ml fish sauce, 150 g sugar, and 200 ml coconut water.

- Stir well and cook over low heat for approximately 30 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Then, turn off the stove.

- Transfer the thickened fish sauce into a bowl to cool.

- Once cooled, add minced garlic and chili to the sauce.

2. Final product

Broken rice is often served with a side of sweet and spicy fish sauce. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Decorate the plate by arranging cucumbers, lettuce, and pickles in an alternating pattern with grilled pork, pickles, egg rolls, pork skin, and fried eggs.

- Sprinkle scallion oil and crispy pork fat over the rice to enhance both flavor and texture. Serve with sweet fish sauce.

- The pork cutlets are both crispy and tender. Alongside egg rolls, pork skins, pickles and vegetables, and scallion-infused oil, they create a tasty mix of flavors and textures that immediately grab the attention of diners when served.