Cơm Sườn Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops with Rice)

Ingredients

Sườn Nướng | Grilled Pork Chops

  • 4 bone-in pork chops (½-inch thick)
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallot
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallion
  • 1 teaspoon minced lemongrass
  • 1 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 2 tablespoons orange marmalade (or honey)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons frying oil

Cơm | Rice

Củ Cải Chua Ngọt | Pickled Daikon and Carrots

  • 2 cups carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 cup daikon, cut into matchsticks
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/4 ounce fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 1 jalapeño

Nước Chấm | Seasoned Fish Sauce

  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chopped Thai chili
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot
  • 2 teaspoons sambal (fermented chili paste)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Mỡ Hành | Scallion Oil with Rendered Pork Fat

  • 4 thin slices fresh pork belly
  • 4 scallions, finely sliced
  • 1/8 teaspoon MSG
  • 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar

Garnishes

  • 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 4 Persian cucumbers, cut into wedges
  • 4 fried eggs

Directions

  1. Marinate the Pork Chops: In a large bowl, mix fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, shallot, scallions, lemongrass, five spice, orange marmalade, and sugar. Add pork chops, massage marinade in for 5 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Cook the Pork Chops: Heat a large skillet over medium for 3 minutes. Add oil, then pork chops. Cook 5 minutes per side until caramelized. Rest on a rack.
  3. Cook the Rice: Rinse Calrose Rice under cold water until clear. Add water to the first knuckle of your index finger above the rice level (about 2½ cups). Bring to a boil, stir, cover, and simmer on low 12–15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered 10 minutes, then fluff.
  4. Make the Pickles: Bring vinegar, water, salt, sugar, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño to a simmer. Remove from heat, add carrots and daikon, submerge, and let sit 15 minutes.
  5. Make the Nước Chấm: In a bowl, combine coconut water, lemon juice, fish sauce, chili, garlic, shallot, sambal, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.
  6. Make the Mỡ Hành: Render pork belly over medium heat until fat releases. Pour hot fat over scallions in a heatproof bowl. Stir in MSG, fish sauce, and sugar.
  7. Assemble: Pack hot rice into a small bowl, invert onto plate. Arrange cucumber and tomato wedges, add pickles, and place pork chop alongside rice. Spoon scallion oil over rice, serve with fried egg and nước chấm on the side.