Cheap and Tasty Wednesdays | Vietnamese

🥓Cơm Tấm - Broken Rice with Pork & Pickled Vegetables

Traditionally a breakfast dish, com tam has become hugely popular throughout Vietnam and abroad. ‘Tam’ refers to the fractured grains and ‘com’ refers to cooked rice. If you cannot find this cheaper grade of rice, follow our steps below that uses jasmine instead. The quantity of rice used in this recipe will make extra for leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

2-4 pork chops

700g jasmine rice

750ml water

1 tsp vegetable oil

For the spring onion oil:

2 spring onions, minced

85 ml vegetable oil

For the marinade:

1 tsp lemongrass, minced

1/2 shallot, minced

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp spring onion oil* (method below)

For the Dau Chua (Pickles):

225g daikon, julienned

75g carrot, julienned

1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

For the Cha Trung (Meatloaf)

10g mung bean noodles, snipped into 4cm batons

5g dried wood ear mushrooms

2 eggs

100g pork mince

2 spring onions, minced

1 tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten for brushing

METHOD

To make the spring onion oil, place the minced spring onions in a heat proof bowl and bring the vegetable oil to 200C. Carefully pour the scalding oil over the onions and set aside.

For the pork chops, combine all the marinade ingredients together with the pork and mix well. Cover and rest for 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge. If using 4 pieces of pork, double the marinade quantity.

To make the pickles, add all the 'dau chua' ingredients together in a bowl and set aside for at least 30 minutes to infuse.

For the meatloaf, cook the noodles and mushrooms in simmering water for 5 minutes to soften. Drain and when cool enough to handle, dice the mushrooms and set aside with the noodles.

(Reserving the beaten egg yolk) combine the remaining meatloaf ingredients together with the mushrooms and noodles to create a runny mixture.

Prepare a steamer basket with simmering water and lightly grease two bowls (or a tray) that will fit inside.

Pour the meatloaf mixture into the bowls or tray and steam covered for 30 minutes. When cooked, open the lid and bush a thin layer of reserved egg yolk over the top. Steam for a further 2 minutes and set aside to cool. Once cool, cut the meatloaf into 3-4 cm slices.

To make the 'broken rice', wash the jasmine rice in cold water to remove any excess starch. Rinse and drain 3-4 times until the water becomes clear. Blitz the washed and drained rice in a food processor for 20 seconds.

Cook the newly broken rice with 750ml water for 14 minutes in a rice cooker or on the stovetop. Stand covered for at least 10 minutes before serving.

To cook the pork chops, add 1 tsp of vegetable oil to a hot frypan. Sear for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Alternatively, you can grill the pork on the BBQ or over charcoal for extra flavor.

Rest the pork for 4 minutes and slice into 2cm strips before serving.

To assemble the com tam, fill a small bowl or ramekin with cooked rice to use as a mold. Turn out the shaped rice onto a wide, shallow bowl.

Arrange the sliced pork, pickles and a piece of meatloaf around the portioned rice and drizzle with a little spring onion oil.