Surprisingly easy! Authentic Vietnamese broken rice "Com Tam" recipe you can make at home

Hello, this is Meg from ít ít Việt Nam.

When you walk through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, you're often greeted by the enticing aroma of charcoal grilling... The source of this scent is often the southern Vietnamese soul food "Com Tam."

The Origin of the Name: "Broken Rice"

Actually, "Com" means rice and "Tam" means broken rice. It is said that this dish originated when farmers ingeniously made delicious meals for themselves using rice grains that had broken during the milling process.

Authentic Com Tam has a fluffy, couscous-like texture, but you can make a delicious version at home using regular Japanese rice!

Although seasoning the meat might seem difficult, it's surprisingly easy to make with ingredients familiar in Japan! I'll share a simple recipe that truly impressed me when I tried it.

【Ingredients】 (Serves 2)

• Pork loin (slightly thick): 2 slices
• Salt and pepper: a pinch
• Rice: for 2 servings

＜Marinade＞

• Nuoc Mam (fish sauce): 1 tablespoon
• Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
• Honey: 2 tablespoons
• Salad oil: 1 tablespoon
• Onion (or shallot): 1/8 piece
• Garlic: 2 cloves
• Lemongrass: 1 stalk
  *You can omit lemongrass!

＜Dipping Sauce / Nuoc Cham＞

• Sugar: 1 tablespoon
• Nuoc Mam: 2 tablespoons
• Water: 2 tablespoons
  
• Garlic (minced): 1 clove
• Chili pepper: to taste

【Instructions: Surprisingly Easy】

1. Mince aromatic vegetables

First, finely mince the onion (or shallot), garlic, and lemongrass, which are essential for flavoring the meat.

The combination of these three will instantly create a Vietnamese aroma.

By the way, while shallots are often used in Vietnam, after trying both, I found that onion made the meat softer and more delicious, haha.

2. Prepare and marinate the meat

Lightly season the pork loin with salt and pepper.

Place all the minced vegetables from step "1" and the remaining marinade ingredients (honey, nuoc mam, soy sauce, oil) into a plastic bag. Add the pork!

If you don't have honey, sugar can be used, but honey gives a nice char when grilled, making it closer to the taste of street food ♡

And for honey, we recommend ít ít Việt Nam's rare coffee flower honey.
It's light and mild, perfect for cooking.

Massage the ingredients to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed, then refrigerate for about an hour.

3. Grill the meat

Just frying it in a pan is delicious enough! 
Grill both sides until golden brown over medium-high heat.

Since it contains honey, it tends to burn easily, but that "slightly burnt part" is fragrant and superb.

Once the meat is cooked, it's recommended to make jagged cuts with kitchen shears (or cut into bite-sized pieces) as a finishing touch!
This instantly gives it an authentic local feel and helps the sauce cling better.

The Key to Flavor! The Golden Ratio of "Nuoc Cham"

Nuoc Cham, the sweet and sour dipping sauce, is indispensable for Com Tam.
Memorizing this paragraph will be useful for other Vietnamese dishes too!

Mix sugar, nuoc mam, and water well (hot water dissolves sugar more easily), then add minced garlic and chili pepper at the end.

Finally, serve on "Song Be ware"!

For the finished Com Tam, we highly recommend serving it on Nang Ceramics' Song Be ware ♡

Cut the thick-sliced meat into bite-sized pieces and place it next to a mound of rice. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and a fried egg for the perfect touch. Serving it on slightly irregularly shaped, traditional dishes instantly creates the warm atmosphere of a local Ho Chi Minh eatery.

Finish by drizzling plenty of Nuoc Cham and enjoy!

Access ít ít Việt Nam, where you can buy delicious Vietnamese honey, here 📍

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    🚶2-minute walk from Ben Thanh Market
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    📍567 Đ. Hai Bà Trưng, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam
    ⏰10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
    🚶Approx. 10-minute walk from Hoi An Japanese Bridge
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Our staff looks forward to seeing you in Vietnam!