broken rice (gạo tấm)depending on how many servings you’re making
wateras needed
pandan leavesoptional
Đồ chua (quick-pickled vegetables)
1carrot
1tablespoonvinegar
1tablespoonsugar
Mỡ hành (scallion oil)
1handfulspring onionsthinly sliced
6tablespoonsneutral oil
1teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonssugar
To serve
cucumberto taste
tomatofresh, to taste
chilito taste
limeto taste
eggsas needed, for ốp la
Procédé
Grilled pork (marinade)
Rinse the pork chops, slice into pieces about 1 cm thick, then pat very dry.
500 g pork chops
Combine the soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, fish sauce, oils, milk, garlic, pepper, and five-spice. Stir in the cola, then coat the chops well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
If needed, scrape the skin, then simmer the pork skin in boiling water until tender. Let cool, then slice into fine strips.
200 g pork skin, boiling water
Mix the lean pork with the chopped garlic, shallot, pepper, and fish sauce. Add to a pan, pour in enough boiling water to barely cover, then simmer until the liquid evaporates, keeping the meat 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 sliced pork skin and shredded pork. Add the sliced garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and toasted rice powder (thính), then toss until evenly coated.
Soak the rice vermicelli and wood ear mushrooms in lukewarm water until softened. Drain well. Cut the vermicelli into 6–7 cm lengths and thinly slice the mushrooms.
2 portions rice vermicelli, 2 wood ear mushrooms, lukewarm water
Set aside one egg yolk. Lightly beat the remaining eggs, then mix with the minced pork belly, vermicelli, and mushrooms. Season with 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 top with the reserved yolk, then leave the lid slightly ajar for a moment to set and color the surface. Let cool slightly, then cut into pieces.
Seasoned nước mắm sauce
Heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Let cool, then stir in the fish sauce and vinegar. Taste and adjust for a balanced sweet-salty-sour flavor.
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 with slightly less water than you would for regular white rice; add pandan leaves while it cooks, if using. Fluff, then cook briefly again to dry it out a bit, if possible.
broken rice (gạo tấm), water, pandan leaves
Đồ chua (carrot pickles)
Peel the carrot and slice thinly (rounds or julienne). Mix the vinegar and sugar, then toss with the carrot to marinate.
Combine the spring onions with the oil, salt, and sugar. Microwave for 30 seconds (or heat the oil separately and pour it over the onions), then stir until the onions soften and deepen slightly in color. Set aside.
Remove the marinated chops from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Grill over charcoal or on a grill (or pan-sear) until cooked through, keeping an eye on the heat. Baste with a little of the remaining marinade as they cook.
Divide the rice among plates and spoon over a little scallion oil. Arrange the cucumber, tomato, pickles, grilled chops, bì, and chả trứng. Serve with a bowl of seasoned nước mắm sauce on the side.
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 often sold ready-made at Vietnamese markets.
For a more aromatic dipping sauce, swap the water for coconut water.
If grilling over charcoal, avoid flames that are too high so the pork doesn’t burn.