Cơm tấm is to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) what phở is to Hanoi. It is sold on every corner from early morning to late at night. The base is broken rice, served with a grilled pork chop, steamed egg meatloaf, pickles and a sweet and savoury fish sauce.
What is broken rice
Cơm means cooked rice and tấm are the broken grains left after milling. Broken rice used to be seen as cheap “poor man’s rice”, eaten mainly by workers and farmers. But it has an appealing texture: the small grains soak up more sauce and the rice is softer. Today cơm tấm is one of the most loved dishes in southern Vietnam.
What’s on a plate of cơm tấm
- Sườn nướng: pork chop marinated in lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce and honey, grilled over charcoal
- Chả trứng: steamed egg meatloaf with minced pork, glass noodles and mushrooms
- Bì: shredded pork skin with toasted rice powder
- Mỡ hành: spring onion with hot oil poured over it
- pickles, cucumber and tomato
- nước mắm pha, a sweeter dipping version of fish sauce
- often a fried egg
Simple sườn nướng recipe (4 servings)
- Pound 4 thin bone-in pork chops.
- Make a marinade of 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp sugar, 3 garlic cloves, 2 chopped shallots, 1 lemongrass stalk, 1 tbsp oil and pepper.
- Marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Grill on a hot grill or pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the marinade caramelises.
- Serve with broken rice, mỡ hành, cucumber and dipping sauce.
Broken rice is sold in Vietnamese grocery stores and at Sapa market. If you can’t find it, use jasmine rice.
Where to eat cơm tấm in Prague
Cơm tấm is less common in Europe than phở or bún bò Nam Bộ. Look for it in southern Vietnamese bistros and at Sapa. More tips in Vietnamese restaurants in Prague.
FAQ
Is cơm tấm a breakfast dish?
In Saigon it is eaten mostly for breakfast, but it is sold all day.
How is broken rice different from regular rice?
The grains are smaller, softer and absorb sauce better. The taste is similar to jasmine rice.