Com Tam

Com Tam means "broken rice" and is a beloved dish from Saigon's street kitchens: a plate of steamed, broken rice topped with succulent grilled pork marinated in lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce. Served alongside is a crispy fried egg, pickled carrots, and the indispensable nuoc cham - a sweet, sour, and salty dipping sauce that ties it all together. A complete and satisfying dish with plenty of texture.

• Cuisine: Vietnamese
• Time: 40 minutes + 1 hour marinating
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Make the marinade: mix finely chopped lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, sweet soy sauce, palm sugar, and 1 tbsp neutral oil. Toss 4 pork chops or slices of pork neck in the marinade and let them marinate covered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
2. Rinse the broken rice (or jasmine rice) and cook it according to instructions, so it's light and fluffy. Keep warm.
3. Make nuoc cham: stir lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and 4 tbsp warm water together until the sugar is dissolved. Add finely chopped garlic and fresh chili. Taste to balance sweet, sour, and salty.
4. Pickle the vegetables: mix finely shredded carrot and daikon with 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp rice vinegar, and let them steep while you grill the meat.
5. Grill the pork on a grill pan or in the grill over high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until beautifully caramelized and cooked through with an internal temperature of at least 70 degrees Celsius. Let it rest for 5 minutes and slice it.
6. Fry one fried egg per person in a little oil, so the white is set and the edges are crispy.
7. Arrange a mound of broken rice on each plate with pork, fried egg, and pickled vegetables on the side. Serve with nuoc cham and pour over to taste.

Tips

• Broken rice is the authentic choice, but regular jasmine rice works fine if you can't find it.
• If you slice pork neck into thin pieces, the meat will be extra tender and have the most grilled surface area.
• Nuoc cham can be adjusted entirely to taste - if you like it spicy, add more fresh chili.