Cơm Tấm Sườn Nướng — Broken Rice with Grilled Pork

Method

1. 01

   Prepare and marinate the chops

   Snip the fat edge of each chop in three places without cutting through the meat. Mix lemongrass, shallot, 12 g garlic, 30 ml fish sauce, soy sauce, 30 g sugar, pepper, and 25 ml oil. Coat chops and refrigerate below 4°C for 3 hours.

   

2. 02

   Cook the broken rice

   Rinse rice gently three times and drain. Add 400 ml water in a tight-lidded saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off and leave covered 10 minutes; fluff only after the rest.

   

3. 03

   Make the lime fish sauce

   Dissolve 25 g sugar in 120 ml warm water. Cool and stir in 40 ml fish sauce, lime juice, remaining 8 g garlic, and chile. Divide among four small bowls so diners can season the rice to taste.

   

4. 04

   Wilt scallions in oil

   Put 30 ml oil in a small pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add scallions and salt, stir 20–30 seconds until bright green and just wilted, then remove from heat. Transfer to a heatproof bowl before the greens brown.

   

5. 05

   Prepare the grill and vegetables

   Heat a grill to medium-high, about 220°C, with a cooler zone. Brush grates with remaining 5 ml oil. Drain chops and discard raw marinade. Slice cucumber and tomato and drain the ready-made pickles while keeping them separate from raw meat.

   

6. 06

   Grill without burning the sugar

   Grill chops 3–4 minutes per side, turning once, until browned. Move to the cooler zone if the edges blacken too fast. Continue as needed until the thickest part, away from bone, reaches 63°C; use clean tongs to remove.

   

7. 07

   Rest the pork

   Rest the cooked chops on a clean plate for at least 3 minutes before cutting. Spoon half the scallion oil over them. Keep the rice covered and warm; do not pour leftover raw marinade over the finished meat.

   

8. 08

   Build the broken-rice plates

   Divide rice onto four plates and top with remaining scallion oil. Add one chop, cucumber, tomato, and drained pickles to each. Serve warm with the individual fish-sauce bowls; spoon sauce over rice in small additions.