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Cơm Tấm, Vietnam’s beloved broken rice dish, is a culinary icon that beautifully showcases the country’s ability to turn humble ingredients into something extraordinary. Once considered a meal of necessity, Cơm Tấm has evolved into a popular dish enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
With its fragrant rice, savoury toppings, and signature sauce, it offers a taste of Vietnamese ingenuity and hospitality in every bite.
What Is Cơm Tấm?
Cơm Tấm, often referred to as “broken rice,” is a dish that uses fractured grains of rice that were historically discarded during the milling process.
These smaller grains were once a practical choice for farmers and lower income families but have since become a prized component of this iconic meal. The rice is cooked to a tender, slightly sticky texture and serves as the base for an array of flavourful toppings.
The dish is traditionally topped with grilled pork chops (sườn nướng), shredded pork skin (bì), and steamed pork and egg cakes (chả trứng). A sunny side up egg is often added for extra richness.
Fresh vegetables and pickles provide a refreshing contrast, while a generous drizzle of nước chấm, a sweet, tangy, and umami packed fish sauce, ties everything together. Each plate of Cơm Tấm is a perfect balance of textures and flavours, showcasing the harmony that defines Vietnamese cuisine.
Ingredients and Taste
The star of Cơm Tấm is its broken rice, which has a slightly firmer texture than regular rice, making it an ideal canvas for bold flavours. The grilled pork chop is marinated in a mixture of garlic, lemongrass, sugar, and fish sauce, resulting in a savoury sweet crust with a smoky aroma from the grill.
The shredded pork skin, coated in toasted rice powder, adds a chewy and nutty dimension, while the steamed pork and egg cake introduces a soft, custard like texture.
Pickled vegetables, often made with carrots and daikon, provide a tangy crunch that cuts through the richness of the meat.
The nước chấm, made from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili, elevates the dish with its bright and complex flavour, ensuring every bite is packed with contrast and satisfaction. Together, the components create a meal that is at once hearty, refreshing, and deeply flavourful.
A Taste of History
Cơm Tấm originated in southern Vietnam, particularly in Saigon (modern day Ho Chi Minh City), where broken rice was a by-product of rice milling.
Farmers and workers initially consumed it as an affordable staple, turning it into a meal with the addition of simple toppings like grilled meat or eggs. Over time, street vendors began to perfect the dish, adding new components and refining its presentation.
As Saigon grew, Cơm Tấm gained popularity across social classes, transitioning from a humble worker’s meal to a celebrated street food enjoyed by all. Its rise reflects Vietnam’s cultural knack for turning modest ingredients into culinary treasures.
Today, Cơm Tấm is a cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine, beloved for its comforting flavours and its connection to the country’s agricultural roots.
Cơm Tấm (Vietnamese Broken Rice) Recipe
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
For the Broken Rice:
- 2 cups broken rice (available at Asian grocery stores)
- 3 cups water
For the Grilled Pork Chop (Sườn Nướng):
- 4 pork chops (boneless or bone in)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Scallion Oil (Mỡ Hành):
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Pinch of salt
For the Side Components:
- 4 eggs, fried sunny side up
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 cup pickled vegetables (carrot and daikon)
- 4 tbsp nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce)
Directions
To begin, rinse the broken rice thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and ensures fluffy rice. Add 3 cups of water to 2 cups of rice in a rice cooker. Cook according to the rice cooker instructions or until the rice is tender. Keep warm while preparing the other components.
Prepare the pork marinade. In a large bowl, combine fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and vegetable oil. Mix well. Add the pork chops to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavour.
Preheat a grill or stovetop grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the marinated pork chops for 5-7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and slightly caramelized. Brush with leftover marinade during grilling for extra flavour. Set aside and let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes.
While the pork cooks, make the scallion oil. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Remove from heat and immediately pour the hot oil over the chopped scallions and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix well to release the scallion’s aroma.
Prepare the fried eggs. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a small amount of oil. Crack each egg into the pan and fry until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny. Set aside on a warm plate.
Assemble the side vegetables. Arrange thinly sliced cucumber, tomato, and pickled vegetables on a serving plate. These fresh elements provide balance to the rich flavors of the pork and rice.
Plate the broken rice. Scoop a generous portion of cooked broken rice onto each plate. Drizzle a spoonful of scallion oil over the rice for added richness. Place a grilled pork chop, a fried egg, and a serving of the prepared vegetables alongside the rice.
Serve with nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce) on the side for drizzling over the rice or dipping the pork. Garnish the plate with fresh herbs like cilantro if desired. This dish is best enjoyed warm and combines sweet, savoury, and tangy flavors in every bite.
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