Best Com Tam: Vietnamese Broken Rice Recipe

This Vietnamese Broken Rice recipe is one of the easy-to-make Vietnamese breakfast dishes that is perfect for any meal. Broken rice translates into Vietnamese as Cơm Tấm – Com = Cooked Rice, Tam = Broken. This Com Tam recipe includes grilled pork chops (cơm tấm sườn nướng).

Com Tam Suon Nuong is served with a Vietnamese dipping sauce (nước mắm), sliced tomato and cucumber, and pickled vegetables. But it doesn’t stop there. Other additions to the dish can include Vietnamese steamed egg meatloaf (chả trứng hấp) and Vietnamese Shredded Pork Skin (Bì Heo). Some vendors will serve Com Tam with a fried egg, usually sunny side up.

Com Tam is one of the popular Vietnamese dishes traditionally from South Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City being home to many street food sellers and small restaurants. 

Vietnamese Cooking Resources: 11 Best Vietnamese Cookbooks to Add to Your Kitchen. Our detailed review of the most up-to-date Vietnamese cookery books.

What is Vietnamese Broken Rice?

Vietnamese broken rice is a type of rice made from rice that has been broken into small pieces during the milling process. The broken rice grains, which are smaller and less uniform in shape than traditional long-grain rice, are then sorted and sold as a separate product, often at a reduced price.

Historically, broken rice was first used by poor rice farmers in rice-growing regions such as the Mekong Delta. Farmers traditionally used the broken rice as animal feed, deemed too inferior to sell. Over time, economic circumstances required that they, and those who were too poor to afford good-quality rice, would cook the rice for themselves, sometimes adding an egg and small pieces of meat. 

Over time, broken rice began to be appreciated for its distinct flavor and texture, and it became popular among all Vietnamese people, not just the poor.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many South Vietnamese citizens moved from rural areas to major cities, searching for work. To keep their costs down, many continued to cook the broken grains, with some eventually beginning to sell the broken rice as street food. The simple dish of broken rice, an egg, and grilled pork chop became mainstream. 

But Com Tam isn’t the only Vietnamese food that uses broken rice. These fractured rice grains can be used in many Vietnamese dishes, such as rice pudding, fried rice, and rice soup.

Nowadays, broken rice is often favored over long grain rice for its texture and is no longer considered “poor man’s food.”

Vietnamese broken rice is typically long-grain rice but can also be made from short-grain or medium-grain varieties. The grain size and cooking time can vary depending on the recipe.

My Experiences with Com Tam in Ho Chi Minh City

I remember my first time eating Com Tam in Ho Chi Minh City. I was visiting with friends, and one day, we went for an early morning walk and caught a whiff of smoke in the air.

Curious, we followed the scent until we came to a small grill, where a woman was cooking various pieces of pork over an open flame. Our mouths started watering at the sight of the juicy meat, so we decided to try it.

The pork chop was grilled to perfection, the rice was fluffy and fragrant, and the pickled vegetables added some piquancy. The fried egg on top added a delicious richness to the dish, and we savored every bite.

And when I moved to Ho Chi Minh City, finding great Com Tam restaurants and stalls became a bit of a pastime.

A current favorite is Com Tam 114, a small restaurant run by three generations of the Huynh family since 1956. Their specialty is stuffed crabs (Cua Farci), a combination of crab, pork, and tree ear mushrooms cooked and served in a crab shell. An added touch of decadence.

Com Tam 114 is located at 114 Vo Thi Sau, Tan Dinh, District 1, HCMC.

Where to Find Broken Rice?

Unless you live in Asia, it is unlikely you will come across broken rice at your local supermarket. Your best bet will be to head to an Asian grocery store or Asian market. Most of the broken rice you will find will likely come from Thailand, which is no different from the Vietnamese version. 

Amazon is your next alternative if you don’t have Asian stores or Asian markets in your area. There are several choices, including Cock Brand Broken Jasmine Rice and Three Ladies Brand Jasmine Broken Rice.

At a pinch, normal Jasmine rice will also work.

What Does Broken Rice (Com Tam) Taste Like?

The difference between regular long-grain rice and broken rice is its texture. While they taste similar, as they are white rice, broken rice has a light, fluffy texture and a slightly nutty flavor. Broken rice absorbs sauces and dips very well, maintains its texture, and doesn’t turn mushy.

I could be imagining this, but I always seem to eat more broken rice than long-grain rice when eating out.

Related: Vietnamese Spices: Discover the Secret Ingredients

Broken Rice Recipe with Grilled Pork Chop – Cơm Tấm Sườn Nướng.

The first step in making Com Tam at home is to make the pickled vegetables, preferrably the day before. The julienned carrots and diakon provide a piquant crunch to the dish. Stir the sugar, warm water, and white vinegar together until the sugar has dissolved. Add the carrots and daikon, place in a plastic or non-reactive container, and pop into the fridge.

The next step in making this Com Tam recipe is to marinate the pork chops. Ideally, you will marinate the pork chops for as long as possible to allow the flavors to absorb into the meat. If I’m cooking this dish at night, I’ll marinate the pork chops in the morning.

And although it’s possible to use other grilled meats for this dish, pork chops are the traditional meat used in Vietnam, and the smoky flavor of the grilled pork chop combines tremendously well with the nuoc mam.

In a large bowl, mix vegetable oil, crushed garlic, the white part of the spring onions, chicken powder, fish sauce, and sugar with the precise amounts in the recipe card below. Add in the pork chops, mix well, and let sit for at least half an hour, longer if possible.

While the pork chops are marinating, combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce (nuoc mam) and set aside.

The next step is cooking the rice. For the best outcome, for both texture and nutrition, it is recommended to soak the rice for an hour before cooking.

Cooking Broken Rice – Rice Cooker or Absorption Method?

The easiest way to cook the broken rice is in a rice cooker. Once the rice has been soaked and washed, add an equal amount of water (1:1). Hit the ‘cook’ button, and in about 10 minutes, the rice will be ready.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, absorption is the other method. Add the soaked and washed rice into a pot along with the water and bring it to a boil. Give the rice a quick stir, turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight lid, and cook for around 15 minutes. Once cooked, take the lid off the pot and let the rice sit for about 5 minutes.

For a fun way to replicate the Com Tam served in Vietnam, fill a small rice bowl with the cooked rice, press down slightly, and turn it upside down onto a plate to make a dome.

Interestingly, by presenting the cooked broken rice in this way, it indicates whether or not the rice has been cooked correctly. Too dry and the rice mound with fall apart; too wet and the rice mound will be mushy and take on the texture of sticky rice.

While the rice is cooking, cook the pork chops over medium heat in a pan. You can grill over hot coals for the most authentic result, or use a barbecue and add a few grill marks for added flavor. 

Once the pork is cooked, cover loosely with foil and rest in a warm spot as you prepare to plate up.

Place sliced cucumber and tomato, and the pickled carrots and daikon on the plate, along with any other accompaniments you have, such as egg meatloaf (chả trứng hấp) and shredded pork skin (Bì Heo).

If you are having a fried egg, leave the cooking to the last minute so the yolk remains runny. This adds a beautiful richness to the dish.

Finally, place the marinated grilled pork chops onto the plate, add a few green spring onions, and serve with nuoc mam on the side. 

Next time you visit Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City in particular, or your local Vietnamese restaurant, be sure to try the delicious Com Tam dish.

If you enjoyed this Vietnamese rice dish, you might like one of these other recipes:

• Nasi Rawon. The delicious Indonesian Stew
• Banh Tam Bi – Vietnamese Noodles With Coconut Cream
• Hu Tieu Xao – Vietnamese Stir-fried Noodles
• Che Ba Mau – Vietnamese Three-Color Dessert