Com Tam

Ingredients

Rice

• 400 gbroken rice, com tam

Pork chops

• 4pork chops, butterflied thin
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 2 tbspsugar
• 3 tbsplemongrass, finely chopped
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 2 tbsphoney
• 1 tbspoil
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspcoconut water or soda

Bi, shredded pork skin

• 200 gpork skin, boiled and shredded
• 150 gcooked pork, shredded
• 3 tbspthinh, toasted ground rice
• 1 tspgarlic powder
• salt

Cha trung

• 300 gminced pork
• 30 gglass noodles, soaked
• 20 gwood ear, soaked and chopped
• 3eggs
• 1egg yolk, for the top
• fish sauce, pepper

Mo hanh

• 4spring onions, sliced
• 4 tbsphot oil
• a pinch of salt

To serve

• nuoc cham
• pickled carrot and daikon
• cucumber and tomato
• a bowl of clear broth

Directions

1. Rinse it briefly and cook it with slightly less water than usual, since broken grains absorb faster. It should be tender and slightly sticky, not fluffy and separate.
2. Marinate for at least four hours, and overnight is better. Grill over charcoal that has burned down to embers with no flames.
3. Cook for four or five minutes a side, basting with the marinade. They should be caramelised and charred at the edges while still juicy. Toast the rice slowly and grind it coarsely rather than to flour. It is sold ready-made and it is easy to make.
4. Mix minced pork with soaked glass noodles, chopped wood ear, egg and fish sauce. Steam it in a shallow dish for twenty-five to thirty minutes.
5. Brush a beaten egg yolk over the surface in the last five minutes. That gives the bright yellow top that every com tam plate has, and it is done at the end so it does not overcook.
6. Let it cool slightly before cutting it into squares. Put sliced spring onions in a heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt. Heat oil until it just smokes and pour it over the spring onions. The hot oil wilts the onions instantly and releases their aroma into the fat.
7. Pickle shredded carrot and daikon in vinegar, sugar and salt for at least half an hour. Mound the rice, lay the pork chop beside it, add a square of cha trung and a spoonful of bi. Add pickles, sliced cucumber and tomato. Spoon mo hanh over the rice and pour nuoc cham over everything.

Technique

• Broken rice was cheap labourers’ rice and became a preference in its own right.
• Thinh, toasted ground rice, is what makes the shredded pork skin work.
• The egg yolk brushed on the meatloaf goes on in the last five minutes.

Substitutions

• Jasmine rice in place of broken rice, though the texture differs.
• A griddle pan if you cannot grill over charcoal.

Variations

• With a fried egg on top, which is very common.
• Made with grilled pork ribs instead of a chop.
• Com tam cha, with just the egg meatloaf.

History

Broken rice, served with grilled pork chop, a fried egg and pickled vegetables, developed in southern Vietnam, particularly Saigon, using rice grains broken during the milling process, historically considered a lower-grade byproduct sold more cheaply than whole-grain rice, making com tam originally a specifically working-class, budget-friendly dish built around using that inexpensive broken rice rather than wasting it. Its rise from humble, frugal origins into one of southern Vietnam’s most beloved and widely eaten everyday meals, now enjoyed across all social classes rather than only by those seeking the cheapest rice option, reflects a broader pattern found in several other cuisines where historically low-status ingredients become celebrated staples over time. It remains an extremely common lunch dish across Ho Chi Minh City and the wider south.

Frequently asked questions

What is Com Tam?

Com Tam is a main from Vietnam: saigon broken rice with grilled pork chop, egg and pork skin. Broken rice, served with grilled pork chop, a fried egg and pickled vegetables, developed in southern Vietnam, particularly Saigon, using rice grains broken during the milling process, historically considered a lower-grade byproduct sold more cheaply than whole-grain rice, making com tam originally a specifically working-class, budget-friendly dish built around using that inexpensive broken rice rather than wasting it. Its rise from humble, frugal origins into one of southern Vietnam’s most beloved and widely eaten everyday meals, now enjoyed across all social classes rather than only by those seeking the cheapest rice option, reflects a broader pattern found in several other cuisines where historically low-status ingredients become celebrated staples over time. It remains an extremely common lunch dish across Ho Chi Minh City and the wider south.

How long does Com Tam take to make?

Com Tam takes 40 min plus 4 hr marinating of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Com Tam?

Yes, within limits. Jasmine rice in place of broken rice, though the texture differs. A griddle pan if you cannot grill over charcoal.

What is the most important thing to get right in Com Tam?

Cook for four or five minutes a side, basting with the marinade. They should be caramelised and charred at the edges while still juicy. Toast the rice slowly and grind it coarsely rather than to flour. It is sold ready-made and it is easy to make.