Fragrant broken rice topped with grilled pork chops, fried egg, and tangy pickled vegetables.
Com tam (broken rice) is the everyday rice of central Vietnam, made from rice kernels that break during milling. It's lighter and fluffier than regular rice. Cay refers to the charred, caramelized grilled pork chops that crown the rice — seasoned with lemongrass and cooked until the edges blacken and char. A fried egg, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs complete the plate. It's cheap, delicious, and found at every corner food stall in cities like Da Nang and Hue.
Serves 2
Mix lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Coat pork chops thoroughly and marinate 15–20 minutes.
Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Grill marinated pork 3–4 minutes per side until caramelized and charred at the edges.
If using broken rice, cook in a rice cooker with standard water ratio. It cooks slightly faster than regular rice, about 15 minutes.
Heat a bit of oil in a small pan and fry an egg sunny-side up or over-easy.
Broken rice (com tam) gives a lighter, fluffier result than regular jasmine rice.
The charred edges of the pork are crucial to the flavor — don't avoid the char.
A squeeze of lime and a pinch of chili flakes elevate the dish.
Use chicken thighs instead of pork
Top with a grilled fish cake (cha ca)
Add grilled shrimp for extra protein
Best served fresh. Cooked rice keeps 3 days refrigerated.
Com tam became popular in central Vietnam because broken rice was affordable and readily available. It evolved from a thrifty way to use broken rice grains into a beloved street food, particularly in Da Nang and Hue.
Look for 'com tam' at Asian grocery stores. Vietnamese, Thai, and some Chinese stores carry it.
Yes, though the texture and flavor will be slightly different. Jasmine rice is a close substitute.
Per serving · 2 servings total
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