Cơm tấm sườn, often referred to as broken rice with grilled pork chops, is a quintessential Vietnamese dish, especially in southern Vietnamese cuisine. Cơm tấm sườn is a beloved street food in Saigon, where it is enjoyed at any time of the day – from breakfast to late-night supper.
The star of this dish, the grilled pork chop, is marinated to perfection with various seasonings, and then grilled until juicy and flavorful. Served atop a bed of broken rice, it is accompanied by pickled vegetables and a drizzle of scallion oil. To complete the dish, a side of tangy and spicy chili fish sauce is provided so you can add them to the rice dish.
By preparing cơm tấm sườn at home, you can bring a piece of Vietnam’s vibrant food culture into your kitchen. This recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, so let’s gather your ingredients, fire up the grill, and try making this delicious dish.
Your family and friends are sure to be impressed by the authentic flavors and the heartwarming experience of sharing a traditional Vietnamese meal together.
The History of Cơm Tấm
Cơm tấm, aka broken rice, is a staple food in Vietnamese cuisine. Originating from the Mekong Delta, broken rice was initially a byproduct of rice milling, seen as inferior and often relegated to animal feed or poorer communities.
However, it evolved into a beloved dish enjoyed by all. In the early 20th century, farmers and laborers, especially in Saigon, discovered that properly cooked broken rice offered a satisfying, chewy texture. They pair the rice with pork chop, Vietnamese egg meatloaf, or fried eggs, to make a hearty rice dish.
What Are Tools To Make Cơm Tấm Sườn?
Before making Vietnamese broken rice with pork chops, you will need kitchen tools below.
Cơm Tấm Sườn Ingredients
For a delightful plate of Vietnamese broken rice and pork chops, you will need some Asian-style ingredients. Here is a list of them.
How To Make Cơm Tấm Sườn Perfectly?
Here are 5 step-by-step instructions to prepare cơm tấm sườn.
Step 1: Marinate the Pork
Clean the pork chops and let them drain.
In a large bowl, mix the pork with the following ingredients:
Stir well to coat the pork evenly. Marinate the pork chops for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 1-2 hours for the flavors to infuse.
Step 2: Cook the Broken Rice
Rinse the broken rice 2-3 times until clean.
Place the rice in a pot, add 300ml water, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Note that the water quantity for broken rice should be less than regular rice to achieve a chewy and fluffy texture.
Stir the rice 2-3 times during cooking to ensure even cooking.
Step 3: Grill the Pork
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Arrange the marinated pork chops on a baking tray.
Grill the pork in the oven for 10 minutes.
Open the oven, brush the pork with the remaining marinade, and continue grilling for another 5 minutes.
Flip the pork, baste the other side with the marinade, and grill for an additional 5 minutes until evenly golden and aromatic.
Step 4: Fry the Egg
Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the egg and fry until the yolk is runny or fully cooked, as desired.
Step 5: Arrange on A Plate and Serve
Serve the cooked broken rice (topped with scallion oil) on a plate with grilled pork and fried egg. Pair them with cucumber, tomato, pickled vegetables, and garlic chili fish sauce.
More Tips for Perfect Cơm Tấm Sườn
Check out 5 tips below to ensure your broken rice dish with pork chops comes out as you expected.
- You can also cook broken rice in a rice cooker with the same water-to-rice ratio as this recipe.
- Choose medium-thick pork chops to ensure they cook evenly and remain juicy.
- Feel free to replace cucumber, tomato, and pickled vegetables with other preferred vegetables.
- Besides fried eggs, cơm tấm sườn can also be served with pork ribs in cơm tấm sườn que recipe, Vietnamese egg meatloaf (chả trứng), shredded pork skin (bì), or Chinese sausage (lạp xưởng).
- For the best dipping sauce, you can follow this Vietnamese nước chấm recipe.
Let’s Make This Cơm Tấm Sườn Recipe Today!
With its simple preparation and irresistible flavors, this cơm tấm sườn recipe is a must-try for anyone looking to enjoy a hearty yet full-of-flavor Vietnamese dish at home.
So why wait? Grab your ingredients and bring a taste of Vietnam to your dining table today. Enjoy your cooking time!
Cơm Tấm Sườn Recipe (Vietnamese Broken Rice With Pork Chops)
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking tray
- Pot
- Pan
- Basting Brush
- Bowl
- Chopsticks (For stirring rice)
Ingredients
- 300 grams pork chop
- 300 grams broken rice
- 300 ml water
- 1 egg
- 40 ml fresh milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Accompaniments
- Scallion oil
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Pickled vegetables
- Garlic chili fish sauce
Instructions
- Clean the pork chops and let them drain. In a large bowl, mix the pork with milk, honey, minced garlic and shallot, oyster sauce, cooking oil, fish sauce, and five-spice powder. Stir well to coat the pork evenly. Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 1-2 hours.
- Rinse the broken rice 2-3 times until clean. Place the rice in a pot, add water, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Stir the rice 2-3 times during cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Arrange the marinated pork chops on a baking tray. Grill the pork in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Reopen the oven, apply the leftover marinade to the pork, and grill for 5 more minutes. Turn the pork over, coat the opposite side with marinade, and grill for another 5 minutes until the meat achieves golden color.
- Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the egg and fry until the yolk is runny or fully cooked, as desired.
- Serve the cooked broken rice (topped with scallion oil) on a plate with grilled pork and fried egg. Enjoy the rice dish with cucumber, tomato, pickled vegetables, scallion oil, and garlic chili fish sauce.
Video
Notes
- You can also cook broken rice in a rice cooker with the same water-to-rice ratio as this recipe.
- Use medium-thick pork chops to ensure they cook evenly and remain juicy.
- You can replace cucumber, tomato, and pickled vegetables with other preferred vegetables.
- Besides fried eggs, cơm tấm sườn can also be served with Vietnamese egg meatloaf (chả trứng), shredded pork skin (bì), or Chinese sausage (lạp xưởng).
Nutrition
Great Recipe!