Com Tam: From Broken Rice to a Culinary Symbol of Southern Vietnamese Food

The answer would be cơm tấm if you asked a Vietnamese person what to have for lunch in Saigon. Similarly, while phở is the undisputed symbol of Hanoi cuisine, cơm tấm represents the food culture of Ho Chi Minh City.

You’ll miss out on a unique travel experience if you don’t eat com tam when you visit Ho Chi Minh City. What is this dish that everyone talks about? How can a rice meal capture the essence of the menu in Vietnam’s largest city? Let’s explore and savor this potpourri together.

Written by Huong NGUYENUpdated on 05-11-2024

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1. Com Tam, the soul of Saigonese cuisine

Foremost among these, the term 'cơm tấm' refers to rice that has been damaged during processing. So, com tam is what you get when you cook broken pieces of rice.

In earlier times, when this broken rice was available at cheap prices, it was a period of great poverty. The culture of low-income earners and students on a tight budget revolved around com tam made with this type of rice.

Nevertheless, like other people living in the south or Mekong Delta region, Saigon residents may not have tasted phở as children; instead, they were probably more familiar with the simple dish called 'com tam aka broken rice'. It is an everyday meal that they eat in their ordinary life.

Over the years, broken rice has evolved into more than just a meal for the poor. It has transformed into a luxurious food item that represents Saigon and Mekong Delta cuisine.

Taste Atlas, an acclaimed gastronomy website, published its list of the 100 best rice dishes worldwide for 2023; Vietnamese broken rice ranked third with immense pride. In Saigon, cơm tấm can be found almost everywhere, from cheap sidewalk corners with small plastic tables to elegant restaurants.

On average, one plate of cơm tấm costs around 35,000 VND, but in more famous restaurants, it can range from 50,000 to over 100,000 VND depending on the toppings offered.

2. What does "Com tam" contain and what does it taste like?

Originally, since it was primarily intended for low-income workers, cơm tấm consisted mainly of pork pieces and small chops, accompanied by onion fat. Over time, this dish has become popular with all social classes and has been enriched with many sides, such as ribs. Below are the ingredients typically found on a plate of cơm tấm:

• Broken rice grains

As disclosed, this is broken rice cooked by traditional method. Once upon a time, rice used to be cooked in a cast iron pot over an open fire which imparted a special taste to it. Nowadays, when modern countries have their own kinds of stoves, the process gets quickened. One way of making its scent better is to put some pieces of pandan leaves (a tropical smell-good plant that is famous and preferred for in Southeast Asia) into the boiling mass. This small addition creates incalculable fragrance in the grains making them memorable!

• Grilled pork chop

The ribs on a plate of broken rice are grilled meat. For this reason, the dish’s uniqueness lies in each establishment’s secret recipe for these ribs, making cơm tấm in Saigon unlike any other. More often than not, spices are used to marinate the ribs, with honey being a common ingredient before they are grilled over a charcoal fire. To Saigonese, an ideal cơm tấm restaurant is one where the barbecued meat is cooked on-site, with fragrant smoke wafting through the air, making it even more appetizing.

• Vietnamese-style steamed egg meatloaf

Steamed egg meatloaf is made from a mixture of eggs, meat, mushrooms, and spices. Typically steamed, the loaves are then cut into rectangular or triangular pieces after cooking.

• Pork rind

The pork skin is first cleaned, then boiled until fully cooked and shredded. It is then lightly seasoned with spices to enhance the flavor and make the pork skin even more flavorful.

• Fried egg

Egg is a supplement that enriches the dish of cơm tấm. Usually, you have to ask the seller to add it, as it is not included automatically.

• Green onion fat and Vietnamese pickled vegetables

Green onion oil is an important seasoning in Vietnamese cooking, made with a combination of lard and green onions. A little bit of this fat is drizzled onto cơm tấm to enhance its flavor. It adds a rich consistency and a touch of elegance. Additionally, Vietnamese pickled daikon is often added, as it provides just the right amount of sourness to balance all the flavors harmoniously, resulting in a delicious taste.

• Fish sauce dressing

A bowl of fish sauce is always served with each plate of cơm tấm that keeps its essence this way. To taste good, the sauce should have a little density and intense flavoring. It is pungent with garlic, chili while having some sweetness. Strangely enough, the southern version’s sauce is mostly gentler in comparison to northern and central ones in Vietnam.

3. Best Cơm tấm in Ho Chi Minh City

• Com Tam Ba Ghien 

Address: 84 Dang Van Ngu, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City

Recommended by Michelin, Ba Ghien has been serving flavorful broken rice for nearly 30 years. This restaurant is famous for its generous, moist, and fragrant ribs, offering sweet meat that seduces diners.

• Com Tam 86 

Address: Co Giang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City:

Located in the heart of downtown, this restaurant is easy to reach and offers delicious broken rice with an authentic Saigon flavor.

• Com Tam Đề Thám

Address: 269 From Tham, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City:

Moreover, this restaurant is situated in the heart of the city just a stone throw away from the vibrant Bui Vien Street where locals hold it in high esteem for its originality.

Besides these locations, it is good to know that Com Tam is a dish that can be found almost everywhere just like Parisian bakeries. So don't panic; simply select a local hangout spot and you've already discovered one!

Easy Com Tam Recipe

Here's a simplified recipe for cơm tấm, ideal for making this dish at home with basic ingredients and an easy method:

Ingredients:

Rice:

• 1 kg of broken rice
• 1 liter of water

Grilled ribs:

• 1 kg pork ribs
• 4 g salt
• 120 g honey
• 30 g barbecue sauce
• 50 g fish sauce
• 30 g lemon juice
• 10 g chilli sauce
• 3 g ground pepper
• 50 g oil

Egg meatloaf:

• 300 g minced meat
• 30 g soy vermicelli
• 30 g black mushrooms
• 3 duck eggs
• 3 g salt
• 5 g stock powder
• 6 g sugar
• 1 g pepper
• 20 g oil

Fish sauce dressing:

• 100 g water
• 100 g sugar
• 70 g fish sauce
• 10 g vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 chilli, chopped

Pickled vegetables:

• 200 g white radish
• 100 g carrots
• 150 g vinegar
• 300 g water
• 50 g sugar

Green onion oil:

• 50 g pork fat
• 3 green scallions
• 1 pinch of stock powder

How to make Cơm tấm:

1. Prepare the rice:

Rinse the broken rice and cook it with 1 litre of water until tender. Book.

2. Prepare the grilled ribs:

• Mix the salt, honey, barbecue sauce, fish sauce, lemon juice, chilli sauce, pepper and oil in a bowl.
• Marinate the ribs in this mixture for 1 hour.
• Grill the ribs on a barbecue or skillet over medium heat until cooked through and slightly caramelized.

3. Prepare the egg meatloaf:

• In a large bowl, combine the minced meat, soy vermicelli, black mushrooms, eggs, salt, stock powder, sugar, pepper and oil.
• Pour this mixture into a steaming dish covered with plastic wrap.
• Steam for 25-30 minutes, then brush with egg yolk and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

4. Prepare the sauce:

• Heat the water, sugar, fish sauce and vinegar until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Add the chopped garlic and chilli. Let cool.

5. Prepare the pickled vegetables:

• Cut the white radish and carrots into thin strips.
• Soak them in a solution of vinegar, water and sugar for 1 hour, then drain.

6. Prepare the onion fat:

• Heat the pork fat in a skillet until golden brown and crispy.
• Add the finely chopped green onions and season with a little powdered stock.

7. Serving:

• Arrange the broken rice on a plate.
• Add the grilled ribs, egg meatloaf, and pickled vegetables.
• Drizzle with the onion fat and serve with the sauce on the side.

Enjoy your meal!

Our last words

Cơm tấm is an emblematic dish of Vietnamese cuisine, combining simplicity with a richness of flavors. It embodies the soul of Southern Vietnamese cuisine, especially in Saigon. During your visit, be sure to try this unmissable delicacy!

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