Com tam, or broken rice, is one of Southern Vietnam's most iconic dishes — originally a resourceful way to use rice grains that broke during milling, now embraced as a beloved format in its own right, especially topped with grilled lemongrass pork chops. This bowl builds on that tradition with regular rice as a practical substitute, topped with the same deeply savory grilled pork. The pork marinates in lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and a touch of sugar, which caramelizes beautifully over high heat to create the charred, slightly sweet crust that defines com tam suon nuong. A scatter of toasted sesame seeds over the finished dish, while not strictly traditional, echoes the toasted rice powder often used in Vietnamese cooking for texture and nutty flavor. Served with pickled carrot and daikon (do chua), a fried egg, and nuoc cham drizzled over everything, this bowl brings together the full balance of sweet, salty, sour, and fresh that defines good Vietnamese cooking.
Serves 5
Combine lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and oil in a bowl. Add pork chops and marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Cook pork 4-5 minutes per side until charred at the edges and cooked through to 145°F (63°C) internal temperature. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice.
In a separate skillet, fry eggs sunny-side up in a little oil until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
Divide rice among bowls.
Top each bowl with sliced grilled pork, a fried egg, pickled carrot and daikon, and cucumber slices.
Scatter toasted sesame seeds and scallions over the top. Drizzle generously with nuoc cham just before serving.
Pound the pork chops to an even thickness before marinating so they cook evenly on the grill without drying out in thinner spots.
Watch the pork closely on the grill — the sugar in the marinade caramelizes fast and can burn if the heat is too high.
Fry the eggs just until the whites set and the yolk stays runny; the yolk is meant to break and mix into the rice and sauce.
Use pork ribs instead of chops for a more traditional com tam suon nuong presentation.
Add grilled shrimp or a small piece of steamed egg meatloaf (cha trung) for a fuller com tam plate.
Skip the sesame seeds for a more traditional version, or substitute toasted rice powder if available.
Refrigerate cooked pork separately from rice up to 3 days. Reheat pork in a skillet or under the broiler to re-crisp the edges; fry eggs fresh each time rather than storing them.
Com tam originated among rice farmers and mill workers in the Mekong Delta who used broken rice grains that couldn't be sold at full price, and it has since grown into one of Ho Chi Minh City's most iconic and beloved everyday dishes.
It's a quick pickle of julienned carrot and daikon in vinegar, sugar, and salt — it takes about 30 minutes to pickle and keeps well refrigerated for over a week.
Yes, boneless chicken thighs work well with the same lemongrass marinade, though pork is more traditional for this dish.
It was likely overcooked — pull it at 145°F (63°C) internal temperature and let it rest before slicing to keep it juicy.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 5 servings total
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