Ingredients
Pork
- 700 gpork shoulder or belly, sliced thinly
Marinade
- 200 mlcoconut milk
- 8 clovesgarlic, crushed
- 3 tbsppalm sugar
- 2 tbspsoy sauce
- 2 tbspfish sauce
- 1 tspblack pepper
- 1 tbspoyster sauce, optional
Rice
- 400 gbroken rice, or ordinary jasmine rice
Pickles
- 1cucumber, sliced
- 1carrot, in matchsticks
- 1daikon, in matchsticks
- 150 mlwhite vinegar
- 3 tbspsugar
- 1 tspsalt
Broth
- chicken stock
- 1spring onion, sliced
- a little pickled radish
- white pepper
To serve
- at dawn, from a street stall, with a bowl of broth on the side
Directions
- Rinse it briefly and cook it with slightly less water than usual, since broken grains absorb faster. Use pork shoulder or belly with fat running through it, sliced thinly.
- Slice it thin, about half a centimetre, so it cooks quickly over the grill and takes on plenty of char. Partly freezing the meat makes thin slicing far easier.
- Crush it rather than chopping it, so it coats the meat evenly. Marinate for at least four hours, and overnight is better. Now the grilling, and the fire needs managing.
- Grill over charcoal that has burned down to glowing embers with no flames. Keep the heat moderate and be prepared to move pieces away from hot spots.
- Cook the slices for three to four minutes a side, turning once or twice. They should be caramelised and charred at the edges while still juicy inside.
- Baste them with the remaining marinade as they cook, which builds the glaze. Let them sit for at least thirty minutes, and they are better after an hour.
- Keep them crisp rather than letting them go soft. Keep it very simple and clear rather than rich. Mound the rice on a plate, lay the sliced grilled pork over it, and arrange the pickles alongside. Serve the broth in a separate small bowl.
Technique
- Broken rice is specifically preferred rather than being a cheap substitute.
- Coconut milk in the marinade carries flavour and builds the caramelised crust.
- The small bowl of clear broth is part of the dish.
Substitutions
- Jasmine rice in place of broken rice.
- A griddle pan if you cannot grill over charcoal.
Variations
- With a fried egg on top, which is very common.
- Made with chicken instead of pork.
- With more chilli in the pickles.
History
Grilled marinated pork over broken rice with pickles and a bowl of clear broth, sold from dawn stalls as Cambodia’s default breakfast.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bai Sach Chrouk?
Bai Sach Chrouk is a breakfast from Cambodia: charcoal-grilled pork over broken rice with pickles. Grilled marinated pork over broken rice with pickles and a bowl of clear broth, sold from dawn stalls as Cambodia’s default breakfast.
How long does Bai Sach Chrouk take to make?
Bai Sach Chrouk takes 25 min plus 4 hr marinating of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Bai Sach Chrouk?
Yes, within limits. Jasmine rice in place of broken rice. A griddle pan if you cannot grill over charcoal.
What is the most important thing to get right in Bai Sach Chrouk?
Crush it rather than chopping it, so it coats the meat evenly. Marinate for at least four hours, and overnight is better. Now the grilling, and the fire needs managing.
