Vietnamese Broken Rice with Grilled Pork Chops

A beloved Saigon street-food classic featuring tender pork chops marinated in lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce, served over fragrant broken rice with pickled vegetables, scallion oil, and a fried egg. Each plate balances smoky, sweet, tangy, and savory notes that define Southern Vietnamese comfort food.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 725 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 78 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 22 gSugar
• 42 gProtein
• 1480 mgSodium
• 870 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 450 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the grilled pork

• 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick (around 2 lb / 900 g total)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass, tender white part only, finely minced
• 1 small shallot, grated
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the broken rice

• 2 cups broken jasmine rice (com tam)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the pickled carrot and daikon

• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1 small daikon radish (about 8 oz), peeled and julienned
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup warm water

For the scallion oil and plate garnish

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 English cucumber, sliced
• 2 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

For the dipping sauce

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Thai bird's eye chili, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the fish sauce, palm sugar, honey, garlic, lemongrass, shallot, and black pepper. Add the pork chops and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight, turning once halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pickled vegetables: stir the sugar, salt, and warm water in a bowl until dissolved, then add the vinegar. Pour over the julienned carrot and daikon in a glass jar. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill until ready to serve.
3. Rinse the broken rice in cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain. Combine with the 2 1/2 cups water and salt in a rice cooker and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. If using a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
4. Make the scallion oil: warm the neutral oil in a small pan over medium heat until shimmering. Remove from heat, stir in the sugar until dissolved, then pour over the sliced scallions in a heatproof bowl and let steep.
5. Whisk together the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, water, garlic, and chili in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves to make the dipping sauce. Set aside.
6. Heat a charcoal grill or cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the marinated pork chops for 4 to 5 minutes per side, brushing with any remaining marinade, until nicely charred and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Rest the chops for 5 minutes.
7. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, fry the eggs sunny-side up until the whites are crisp at the edges and the yolks remain runny.
8. To assemble, mound a generous scoop of broken rice on each plate. Top with a grilled pork chop, a fried egg, a spoonful of scallion oil, a pile of pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, and tomato wedges. Serve the dipping sauce on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Marinate the pork overnight if possible; the lemongrass and sugar need time to penetrate for the deepest flavor and best caramelization.
• If you can't find broken rice, substitute with short-grain jasmine rice, but the slightly chewy, nutty texture of true com tam is worth seeking out at Asian grocery stores.
• Charcoal grilling delivers the signature smoky char, but a screaming-hot cast-iron grill pan works very well in a home kitchen.
• Don't skip the scallion oil (mo hanh); it is the fragrant, savory finish that ties every element of the plate together.
• Pickled vegetables taste best after resting overnight, so make them a day ahead when you can.

More Vietnam Recipes You’ll Love

Craving more flavors from Vietnam? Try these traditional recipes:

• Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp with Lemongrass and Bird’s Eye Chili
• Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup
• Hue-Style Spicy Beef and Pork Noodle Soup

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