Com Tam Suon Nuong (Broken Rice with Grilled Pork)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Com tam translates literally as broken rice, named after the fractured grains left over from milling that were once too damaged to sell and eaten only by those who could afford nothing better.
Read more
In Ho Chi Minh City, what began as subsistence food became a morning institution. The smaller, porous grains cook drier than whole rice and absorb sauces and meat juices more efficiently, turning an unwanted byproduct into a texture worth seeking out. Suon nuong, the charcoal-grilled pork chop, is the centerpiece. The meat soaks for at least an hour in a marinade of lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar before hitting the coals. Under direct heat, the marinade caramelizes against the bone, building a sticky, slightly charred crust that carries both sweetness and smoke. The assembled plate puts the grilled chop over broken rice, topped with shredded egg crepe, pickled daikon and carrot, and a generous pour of nuoc mam pha, the sweet-salty-sour dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, sugar, and fresh chili. Across the city, com tam stalls open before dawn and the morning ritual of pulling a motorbike over to eat a quick plate at a sidewalk table is part of the daily rhythm of the place.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Rinse 1.5 cups broken rice gently in cold water 2 to 3 times until the cloudy starch is mostly gone.
Add 1.5 cups water, cover tightly, and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 2Control
Turn off the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Fluff it gently with a rice paddle so the small grains loosen without breaking further, then keep it covered so it does not dry out.
- 3Season
Finely mince the lower 5 cm of the 25 g lemongrass and the 12 g garlic.
Stir them with 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 tablespoon sugar until the sugar dissolves fully and the marinade looks glossy.
- 4Heat
Slice 300 g pork shoulder about 0.5 cm thick so it cooks quickly and caramelizes before drying out.
Pat the slices dry, coat evenly with the marinade, and rest for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature.
- 5Control
Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a pan over high heat until the surface shimmers.
Lay the pork in a single layer, without crowding, and press lightly while searing each side for 2 to 3 minutes.
- 6Finish
When the pork edges turn deep brown and the marinade becomes sticky, lower the heat so the sugar does not burn.
Serve the pork over the rice and spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons pan juices over the top.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Broken-grain Com Tam Suon Nuong rice absorbs nuoc cham better than standard long-grain varieties.
- Finish cue
- Stir them with 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 tablespoon sugar until the sugar dissolves fully and the marinade looks glossy.
- Avoid this
- Lower the heat when the pork edges are deep brown and the marinade turns sticky so the sugar does not burn.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 7 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 309 recipes
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