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Vietnamese · Lunch, dinner

Cơm Tấm with Pork Chop and Fried Egg

Photograph of the finished dish Photograph of the finished dish
Photograph of the finished dish Photograph of the finished dish

Background

Cơm tấm is southern Vietnam’s “broken rice,” once made from fractured grains considered less valuable. It became a beloved street meal, commonly topped with grilled pork, egg, pickles, scallion oil, and fish-sauce dressing.

Ingredients

  • 4 thin bone-in pork chops
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more for frying
  • 600 g cooked broken rice
  • 4 eggs
  • Pickled carrot and daikon, scallion oil, cucumber, and nước chấm

How to cook

  1. Marinate chops with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, lemongrass, garlic, and oil for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Grill or sear over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until caramelized and cooked to 63°C; rest.
  3. Fry eggs sunny-side up.
  4. Divide rice among plates and top each with a chop and egg. Add pickles, cucumber, scallion oil, and nước chấm.

Recipe photographs link to their original publishers.