Vietnamese Broken Rice with Grilled Pork

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A signature Saigon street-food plate of nutty broken rice topped with lemongrass-marinated grilled pork, a crispy-edged fried egg, and bright pickled daikon and carrots. A small bowl of nuoc cham ties everything together with its salty-sour-sweet punch.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 720 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 9 gSaturated Fat
• 78 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 18 gSugar
• 38 gProtein
• 1480 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 120 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 450 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the broken rice

• 2 cups broken jasmine rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the grilled pork marinade

• 4 bone-in pork chops, about 6 oz each
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp palm sugar, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass, finely minced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp honey

For the nuoc cham dipping sauce

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Thai bird's eye chili, thinly sliced

For the pickled vegetables (do chua)

• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1/2 small daikon radish, peeled and julienned
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar

For serving

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe tomato, wedged
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots

Directions

1. Marinate the pork: Whisk fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, garlic, lemongrass, shallots, pepper, oil, and honey in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the pork chops and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
2. Prepare the pickled vegetables: Toss the julienned carrot and daikon with the salt and let stand 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out excess liquid. In a jar, dissolve the sugar in the warm water, stir in the rice vinegar, and pour over the vegetables. Set aside to quick-pickle for at least 20 minutes.
3. Cook the rice: Rinse the broken rice in cool water 2 to 3 times until the water runs mostly clear. Combine with the 2 1/2 cups water and salt in a rice cooker and start, or bring to a boil in a heavy pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Let steam, covered, off the heat for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
4. Make the nuoc cham: In a small bowl, stir the sugar into the warm water until dissolved. Add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili, then taste and adjust so the sauce is bold, balanced, and slightly stronger than you want it to taste on its own.
5. Grill the pork: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the pork chops 4 to 5 minutes per side, basting once with any leftover marinade, until nicely charred, caramelized, and cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely, and rest 5 minutes.
6. Fry the eggs: Heat a thin layer of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack in the eggs and fry until the whites are crisp and lacy at the edges but the yolks remain runny, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
7. Assemble the bowls: Divide the warm broken rice among 4 plates. Top each with a grilled pork chop, a pile of pickled vegetables, a handful of cucumber and tomato, and a fried egg.
8. Finish and serve: Sprinkle with sliced scallions and crispy fried shallots. Serve immediately with the nuoc cham on the side for drizzling over everything.

Cook’s Notes

• True broken rice has a chewier, nuttier texture than whole-grain jasmine rice; do not substitute regular rice if you want authenticity.
• Marinating the pork overnight gives the lemongrass and shallots time to penetrate, producing a much deeper flavor.
• For the best char, pat the marinated pork dry before grilling and resist moving it once it hits the hot grates.
• Good fish sauce is the backbone of this dish; look for brands like Red Boat or Three Crabs that smell briny, not pungent.
• Pickled vegetables keep well in the fridge for up to a week, so it's worth making a double batch to serve alongside other Vietnamese meals.

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