Authentic Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả Trứng

A complete, deeply satisfying Vietnamese cơm tấm: marinated grilled pork chops, bì (shredded pork skin and pork), steamed chả trứng, pickles, and nước mắm dipping sauce, with an optional fried egg.

The smoky aroma of grilled pork hovers over pale, slightly grainy rice. Soon it’s glossed with the bright green of mỡ hành (scallion oil). On the side, the pickled carrot crunches, and a slice of chả trứng breaks apart into a wonderfully tender bite.

If you choose the ốp la version, the runny yolk spills out and coats the rice. Cơm tấm is a complete dish, meant to be mixed : what makes it special is the range of textures and how well they balance each other.

Cơm tấm, what is it?

The name says it all. Cơm tấm is broken rice (gạo tấm) : fractured grains, usually cooked with slightly less water to create a texture that clings to sauces, fragrant fats, and meat juices. Sườn means pork chop, here as sườn nướng : sliced about 1 cm thick, then grilled until caramelized after a marinade built in layers. It combines sweetness (honey), umami (soy sauce and oyster sauce), fermented salinity (nước mắm), and aromatics (garlic, pepper, five-spice).

Bì adds contrast : pork skin, first simmered in boiling water, then sliced into fine matchsticks and coated with thính — toasted rice ground into a powder. It brings a roasty, almost nutty note, plus a drier bite that really begs for sauce. Chả trứng rounds it out with a steamed egg-and-pork terrine, enriched here with rice vermicelli and rehydrated wood ear mushrooms. Finally, ốp la, an optional fried egg, leans into the comfort factor : the runny yolk becomes an instant sauce.

The signature is the balance of all these elements : it’s meant to be drenched with seasoned nước mắm (here : equal parts sugar, fish sauce, and water, plus half as much vinegar), similar to a nem dipping sauce, then eaten by mixing everything into the rice with a spoon and a fork.

The main ingredients of Cơm tấm

Broken rice (gạo tấm) is the foundation : its slightly grainy texture holds onto sauce and takes generous seasoning without turning to mush. Some cooks add pandan for a soft, grassy fragrance. To easily find gạo tấm and the aromatics, a trip to an Asian grocery store helps a lot. You can also make your own by pounding regular rice in a mortar and pestle.

Sườn nướng is the centerpiece : grilled, lightly smoky, and beautifully lacquered. In this version, the marinade typically includes soy sauce and oyster sauce (umami and color), honey, nước mắm, garlic, black pepper, and five-spice (sometimes with a little lemongrass), plus neutral oil, a touch of sesame oil, and milk to tenderize. A fizzy drink like cola can also boost caramelization.

For best results, take the chops out about 1 hour ahead and, if you like, brush on a little of the remaining marinade as they cook. Over charcoal, on a grill, or in a pan, the idea stays the same : sweet-salty pork with plenty of char, and maximum flavor. If these flavors are your kind of thing, you’ll probably also love caramel pork, red pork, or char siu.

Bì brings that signature, springy chew thanks to pork skin (cooked, then finely sliced). Lean pork, simmered with garlic, shallot, and nước mắm, then shredded, adds body and a drier texture that soaks up the sauce. Seasoned (sliced garlic, sugar, salt, pepper) and coated with thính, the mixture takes on a toasted aroma and a subtly sandy bite.

How about Vietnamese banana fritters for dessert?

Chả trứng is made from beaten eggs mixed with ground pork, rice vermicelli, wood ear mushrooms, and shallot, then seasoned with salt, sugar, and pepper. It adds a rich, savory sweetness in a generous slice. Steam it for 15 minutes, brush the top with the reserved yolk, then leave it for a moment with the lid slightly ajar for a more golden, appetizing surface. If you cook with these ingredients often, the guide to Asian noodles is a handy reference.

Around this spread, everything is designed for balance : seasoned nước mắm as the main sauce; đồ chua (here : carrot pickled in vinegar and sugar) and fresh vegetables (cucumber, tomato, bean sprouts) to cut through the richness; and, if you choose it, the ốp la option, whose runny yolk brings it all together and turns into a sauce.

How to eat it ?

The idea isn’t to keep each component neatly separate : pour it on, then mix. Add a drizzle of seasoned nước mắm, a little mỡ hành to coat the rice, then alternate bites : smoky, sweet sườn, a pinch of bì with toasted notes, a tender slice of chả trứng, all balanced by the sweet-tart pickled carrot (vinegar + sugar) and the fresh crunch of cucumber. In the ốp la version, the runny yolk ties everything together.

Adjust it all at the table : more or less sauce; an egg fully set or truly runny; chili and lime to perk everything up; charcoal, grill, or pan cooking depending on the flavor you’re after.

The plate stays balanced, but each component is meant to fold into the rice from the very first spoonful. If you like those fragrant grilled flavors, also take a look at lemongrass chicken or lemongrass skewers.

Authentic Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả Trứng

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5/5 (17)

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Servings: 4

1x2x3x4x

Mode cuisineEmpêche ton écran de se mettre en veille

Author: Marc Winer

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

Grilled Pork (sườn nướng)

• 500 g pork chops
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper ground
• 0.5 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 can cola-style soda such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi

Chả Trứng (Steamed Egg Terrine)

• 300 g pork belly ground
• 3 eggs duck eggs if possible, otherwise chicken eggs
• 2 portions rice vermicelli
• 2 wood ear mushrooms dried
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper ground
• 0.33 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon shallot minced
• warm water as needed for soaking

Bì (Shredded Pork Skin and Pork)

• 200 g pork skin
• 200 g lean pork pork leg or ham
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon shallot minced
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper ground
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• boiling water for simmering
• 5 cloves garlic sliced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper ground
• 3 tablespoons toasted rice powder (thính)

Seasoned Nước Mắm

• 1 part sugar
• 1 part fish sauce (nước mắm) good quality
• 1 part water
• 0.5 part vinegar

Broken Rice (cơm tấm)

• broken rice (gạo tấm) quantity according to the number of servings
• water as needed
• pandan leaves optional

Đồ Chua (Pickled Vegetables)

• 1 carrot
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Mỡ Hành (Scallion Oil)

• 1 handful scallions thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Accompaniments

• cucumber to taste
• tomato fresh, to taste
• chili to taste
• lime to taste
• eggs as needed for ốp la

Instructions

Grilled Pork (Marinade)

• Rinse the chops, slice them about 1 cm thick, then pat them thoroughly dry.
  500 g pork chops
  
• Combine the soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, fish sauce, oils, milk, garlic, pepper, and five-spice powder. Add the soda, then coat the chops in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil, 3 tablespoons whole milk, 1 tablespoon garlic, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon five-spice powder, 1 can cola-style soda
  

Bì (Shredded Pork Skin and Pork)

• Scrape the pork skin if needed, then cook it in boiling water until tender. Let cool, then slice into thin strips.
  200 g pork skin, boiling water
  
• Combine the lean pork with the minced garlic, minced shallot, pepper, and fish sauce. Place in a pan, add just enough boiling water to barely cover, and simmer until the liquid has evaporated while the meat stays tender. Let cool, then shred.
  200 g lean pork, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon shallot, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  
• Combine the shredded pork skin and pork, then add the sliced garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and toasted rice powder (thính). Toss until evenly coated.
  5 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons sugar, 0.5 teaspoon salt, 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons toasted rice powder (thính)
  

Chả Trứng (Steamed Terrine)

• Soak the vermicelli and wood ear mushrooms in warm water until rehydrated, then drain. Cut the vermicelli into 6–7 cm lengths and thinly slice the mushrooms.
  2 portions rice vermicelli, 2 wood ear mushrooms, warm water
  
• Set aside one egg yolk. Lightly beat the remaining eggs, then mix with the ground pork belly, vermicelli, and mushrooms. Season with the pepper, salt, sugar, and shallot.
  300 g pork belly, 3 eggs, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 0.33 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon shallot
  
• Pour into a mold and steam for 15 minutes. Brush the surface with the reserved yolk, leave the lid slightly ajar for a few moments to let the top set and color, then let cool until warm and cut into pieces.
  

Seasoned Nước Mắm

• Heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Let cool, then stir in the fish sauce and vinegar. Taste and adjust the sweet, salty, and sour balance.
  1 part sugar, 1 part fish sauce (nước mắm), 1 part water, 0.5 part vinegar
  

Broken Rice (cơm tấm)

• Rinse the broken rice, then cook it with a little less water than you would use for regular white rice. Add the pandan leaves during cooking, if using. Fluff the rice and, if possible, run a short second cooking cycle to dry it slightly.
  broken rice (gạo tấm), water, pandan leaves
  

Đồ Chua (Carrot Pickles)

• Peel the carrot and slice it thinly or cut it into julienne. Mix the vinegar and sugar, then add the carrot and let it marinate.
  1 carrot, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar
  

Mỡ Hành (Scallion Oil)

• Combine the scallions with the oil, salt, and sugar. Microwave for 30 seconds (or heat the oil separately, then pour it over the scallions), stir until the scallions darken slightly, then set aside.
  1 handful scallions, 6 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar
  

Cooking, Fried Egg, and Plating

• Remove the marinated chops from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Grill over charcoal, on a grill, or in a pan until cooked through, keeping an eye on the heat. Brush with a little of the remaining marinade as they cook.
  
• Spoon the rice onto plates and drizzle with a little scallion oil. Arrange the cucumber, tomato, pickles, grilled chops, bì, and chả trứng alongside. Serve with a bowl of nước mắm sauce.
  cucumber, tomato, chili, lime
  
• For the ốp la version, fry an egg sunny-side up and add it to the plate.
  eggs

Notes

• Thính (toasted rice powder) is available ready-made at many Asian markets.
• For a more aromatic sauce, replace the water with coconut water.
• When grilling over charcoal, avoid a flame that is too fierce so the meat does not burn.

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