Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Rice (Cơm Sườn Trứng)
Vietnamese grilled pork with rice, also known as “Cơm Sườn Trứng,” is a signature dish hailing from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. This delectable dish is a modified version of “Cơm Tấm Sài Gòn” or Saigon cracked rice, which is a popular local delicacy. The only difference between the two lies in the shape of the rice, without affecting the flavor in any way. So, let’s start to prepare this mouthwatering Vietnamese dish that combines succulent grilled pork with fragrant rice, fresh vegetables, and a delectable sauce.
Ingredients
To prepare Vietnamese grilled pork with rice, you will need the following ingredients:
1. Rice: Choose high-quality jasmine rice and cook it using a rice cooker or instant pot for optimal results.
2. Pork chop: Opt for either shoulder chops, spareribs or cutlets, depending on your preference. Pork chops are the traditional choice for this dish.
3. Vegetables: Carrots, white radish, cucumber, lettuce, or tomato can be used to add freshness and crunch to the dish.
4. Fried egg: A perfectly cooked fried egg adds a delightful touch to the dish.
5. Green onion: Fry green onions in oil or pork fat to create aromatic green onion fat (mỡ hành).
6. Sauce: The traditional sauce for this dish is fish sauce, but if you’re not familiar with it, you can use alternatives such as BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vegan fish sauce, or soy sauce.
What if you would like to change some ingredients? Sure, you can also experiment with different vegetables and sauces while staying true to the essence of the dish. Feel free to modify depending on what is available in your fridge, but ensure these remain the main components: rice, pork chop, some vegetables (carrot, white radish, cucumber). Fried egg and green onion can be optional. Make sure to have a sauce for it. In fact, fish sauce is the most popular, but it’s also possible to replace by BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vegan fish sauce or soy sauce.
How to Make Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Rice
Follow these steps to create the perfect Vietnamese grilled pork with rice:
Cook the rice and cut vegetables
- Cook the rice using a rice cooker or instant pot, ensuring it is fluffy and well-cooked.
- Prepare the vegetables by grating the carrots and soaking them in a vinegar mixture (1:1:1 ratio of water, vinegar, and sugar) to make pickled carrots. Slice the tomatoes and cucumbers to add freshness and color to the dish.
Grill the pork chops, fry eggs and green onion
- Grill the marinated pork chops (go to the end of the post to get the recipe). If you don’t have access to a BBQ grill, you can use a skillet covered with aluminum foil. Place the pork chops on the skillet over medium-low heat and turn them every 3-4 minutes until they are fully cooked. Increase the heat and grill each side for 1-2 minutes to achieve a delicious charred flavor.
- While the pork chops are cooking, prepare a perfect fried egg in another skillet.
- To make the green onion fat (mỡ Hành), fry the green onions in sunflower seed oil or pork fat until the aroma spreads, then turn off the heat. It’s better to use pork fat to make it, but in my version, I used sunflower seed oil because I don’t have any pork fat at home. So, it can be considered “green onion oil”.
Assemble the dish
- Assemble the dish on a large plate. Scoop the cooked rice into a small bowl and press it with a spatula to create a beautiful hemisphere shape. Place the rice on the plate and add the grilled pork chop and fried egg. Arrange the vegetables around the plate and top the rice with the green onion fat or oil.
- Optional – If you prefer fish sauce as a condiment, mix fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and water in a 2:2:1:8 ratio. Add garlic and chili for additional flavor, and your perfect fish sauce for Vietnamese grilled pork with rice and fried egg is ready.
Store the Leftovers
If you have any leftovers from your Vietnamese grilled pork with rice, it’s important to store them properly to maintain their flavor and quality. It’s recommended to store each component of the dish separately to prevent them from deteriorating quickly. Here are some guidelines for storing and reheating:
- 1. Rice: Store the cooked rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best to consume it within 2 days for optimal taste and texture. When reheating, simply use a microwave, although the rice may lose its original texture.
- 2. Grilled Pork Chops: Store the leftover grilled pork chops in a separate container in the refrigerator. When reheating, you can use a skillet to warm them up and restore their juicy tenderness.
- 3. Fried Egg: Similar to the pork chops, store the fried egg separately in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently in a skillet for the best results.
- 4. Vegetables: If you have leftover vegetables like pickled carrots, tomatoes, or cucumbers, store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. They should be consumed within 2 days to maintain their freshness.
- 5. Green Onion Fat or Oil: Store any leftover green onion fat or oil in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It can be used in other dishes or as a flavorful addition to your next meal.
Remember, the flavors and textures may slightly change after reheating, but you can still enjoy the deliciousness of Vietnamese grilled pork with rice even when reheating.
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Vermicelli (Bún Thịt Nướng) – A Flavorful Variation
Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Vermicelli, known as “Bun Thit Nuong,” is a popular dish in Vietnamese cuisine. It is particularly beloved in the central and southern regions of Vietnam, where it is commonly found in street food stalls and local restaurants. This vibrant and flavorful dish also includes grilled pork, but pork blade is used, instead of pork chops. Vegetables are quite similar to Girlled Pork with Rice: Pickled carrots and daikon, fresh lettuce, cucumber. However, this dish doesn’t include tomato, and is usually eaten with the crispy fried spring rolls and roasted peanuts (chả giò).
In cities such as Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and Da Nang, Grilled Pork Vermicelli can be found in bustling food markets, where the tantalizing aroma of grilled pork lures in locals and visitors alike. It is a go-to choice for those seeking a satisfying and well-balanced meal that captures the essence of Vietnamese cuisine.
If you want to try this, you can apply the same recipes for grilled pork, pickled carrot & white radish, and the fish sauce. Replace cooked rice by rice vermicelli.
Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Rice (Cơm sườn trứng)
Vietnamese grilled pork with rice, also known as "Cơm Sườn Trứng," is a signature dish hailing from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
Ingredients
Proteins
- 4 eggs
- 6 slices of pork chops
Spices to marinate pork chops:
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder (optional)
- 1/4 tsp honey
- a pinch of ground pepper
Rice
- 3 cups of rice
Vegetables
- 2 carrots, grated and pickled
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
Green onion fat
- 2 tbsp oil/fat (sunflower seed oil or pork fat)
- Green onions
Fish sauce
- 2 tbsp pure fish sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 8 tbsp still water
Instructions
- Step 1. Smash the chops with a meat pounder to tenderize them first. Then, marinate the pork chops by combining sugar, salt, five spice powder, honey, and ground pepper. Coat the pork chops with the marinade mixture and let them sit for about 1 hour (overnight marination is still the best) to absorb the flavors.
- Step 2. Cook the rice using a rice cooker or instant pot until it's fluffy and fully cooked. Prep the vegetables. Grate the carrot and soak them in a light vinegar mixture including water + vinegar + sugar at ratio 1:1:1 to make pickled carrot. Slice tomato and cucumber.
- Step 3. Grill the marinated pork chops on a barbecue grill or on a skillet covered with aluminum foil. Cook them over medium-low heat, turning them every 3-4 minutes until fully cooked. Increase the heat and grill each side for 1-2 minutes to achieve a charred appearance.
- Step 4. In a skillet, fry the eggs until they reach your desired level of doneness.
After that, you can use the same skillet, heat the oil or melt the pork fat over medium heat. Add the green onions and fry them until they release their aroma. Remove from heat and set aside. - Step 5. Assemble the dish on a large plate. Scoop the cooked rice into a small bowl and press it with a spatula to create a hemisphere shape. Transfer the rice to the plate, forming a bed for the other components. Place the grilled pork chops and fried eggs on top of the rice, arranging them attractively.Finally, add the pickled carrots, sliced tomatoes, and cucumber around the plate, creating a vibrant and colorful presentation. Remember to drizzle the green onion fat or oil over the rice and other components to enhance the flavors.
- Step 6. (Making fish sauce - optional) If you prefer fish sauce as a condiment, mix fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and water in a 2:2:1:8 ratio. Add garlic and chili for additional flavor, and your perfect fish sauce for Vietnamese grilled pork with rice and fried egg is ready.
Now, you can savor the delightful combination of flavors in your homemade Vietnamese grilled pork with rice .Enjoy the tender grilled pork, fragrant rice, refreshing vegetables, and the option to enhance the taste with the accompanying fish sauce condiment.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 556