I first fell in love with Cơm Sườn Nướng at backyard BBQs with my family—each chop sizzling over coals as my elders spun tales of our multigenerational street-food stall gods. Eating their food was said to be a blissful joy I could only imagine—until I tasted it myself. Though purists grill over charcoal, I pan-sear the pork at home to coax out those caramelized edges. This recipe covers every part: from cooking the rice and marinating the pork to crafting scallion oil, quick pickles, and a vibrant table-side nước chấm for all the acid notes. Traditionally served on broken rice, I rely on tender Calrose California grains when broken rice is out of reach. A final sprinkle of fresh herbs and a bright nước chấm tie each bite together, delivering that same bliss with every forkful.

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Ingredients

Sườn Nướng | Grilled Pork Chops

4 each, Pork Chops (bone-in, cut 1/2 " thick)
3 tbsp., Fish Sauce
3 tbsp. , Oyster Sauce
1 tsp., Sesame Oil
1 tsp., Minced Ginger
1 tsp., Minced Garlic
1 tsp., Minced Shallot
1/4 cup, Sliced Scallion
1 tsp., Minced Lemongrass
1 tsp., Five Spice
2 tbsp., Orange Marmalade (or Honey)
1 tbsp., Organic Sugar
2 tbsp., Frying Oil

Com | Rice

2 cups, California Calrose Rice
2.5 cups, Filtered Water

Củ Cải Chua Ngọt | Pickled Daikon and Carrots

2 cups, carrots (Cut into match sticks)
1 cup, daikon (Cut into match sticks)
1/4 teaspoon, kosher salt
1 teaspoon, organic sugar
1 cup, rice vinegar (Unseasoned)
1 cup, filtered water
2 clove, peeled garlic
1/4 ounce, peeled ginger (Sliced)
1 each, jalapeno

Nước Chấm | Seasoned Fish Sauce

1 cup, Coconut Water
1/4 cup, Lemon Juice
1/4 cup, Fish Sauce
2 tsp, Chopped Thai Chili
2 tsp, Minced Garlic
2 tbsp, Minced Shallot
2 tsp, Sambal (Fermented Chili Paste)
3 tbsp, Organic Sugar

Garnishes

2, Tomatoes (cut into wedges)
4 each, Persian Cucumbers (cut into wedges)
4 each, Fried Egg

Mỡ Hành | Scallion Oil with Rendered Pork

4 thin slices, Fresh Pork Belly
4 stalks, Scallions (white and green parts finely sliced)
1/8 tsp., MSG
1/2 tsp., Fish Sauce
1/8 tsp, Organic Sugar

Instructions

Marinate the Pork Chops

Combine fish sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, scallions, five spice seasoning, sugar, orange marmalade, and sesame oil in a large bowl
Mix thoroughly.
Add pork chops
Massage the marinade mixture into the pork chops for 5 minutes.
Marinate the pork chops for one hour in the refrigerator.

Cook the Pork Chops

Preheat a large, thick-bottom frying pan on medium heat for 3 minutes.
Add 2 tbsp., of Frying Oil
Once the oil shimmers, tilt the pan away from you and gently lay in the pork chops.
Fry the pork chops for 5 minutes, on both sides.
Remove the pork chops from the frying pan. And rest the pork chops on a roasting rack to cool and rest.
Take the frying off the heat.

Cook the Rice

Under cold running water, rinse the rice in a medium-sized pot at least 3 times, or until the water runs clear.
Top the rice with water by placing the tip of your index finger on the surface of the rice and adding water until it reaches the first knuckle, which is about 2 1/2 cups of water.
Bring the pot to a full hard boil.
Stir the pot with a spoon to release the rice grains from the pot.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.
Simmer on low for 12-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork
Allow the rice to cook, off heat and covered, for an additional 10 minutes. This reassures the rice is extra fluffy.
Fluff the rice again before serving.

Make the Pickles

Cut carrots and daikon into 1/8" thick x 2-3" long
In a medium-size pot, add kosher salt, organic sugar, rice vinegar, water, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno.
Bring the pot to a simmer.
Take the pot off the heat.
Add cut carrots and daikon.
Submerge carrots and daikon (under pickling liquid) with a small plate
Allow carrots and daikon to steep for at least 15 minutes at room temperature

Make the Nước Chấm | Seasoned Fish Sauce

Chop Thai Chili
Mince garlic and shallot
In a medium-sized mixing bowl the minced add 2 tsp. of Thai Chili, 2 tbsp. of Minced Shallot, 2 tsp. of Minced Garlic.
Add2 tsp. of Fermeneted Chiil
Add 1/4 cup of Lemon Juice
Add 1 cup of Coconut Water
Add 1/4 cup of Son Fish Sauce
Then season the sauce with 3 tbsp Organic Sugar (or 1/3 tsp stevia)
And last, stir the sauce until the ingredients all well incorporated.

Make the Mỡ Hành | Scallion Oil

Wash and very finely slice the hành lá on the diagonal. Place them in a heatproof bowl.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the rendered pork fat until it just shimmers (do not let it smoke).
Immediately pour the hot fat over the scallions in the bowl—it should sizzle and soften them, releasing their aroma.
Stir in the seasonig to taste.
Let the mỡ hành sit for at least 5 minutes before using it so the flavors meld.
Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 1 week; gently reheat before serving.

Assemble

Lightly oil the inside of a small, heatproof bowl. Fill it firmly with hot cơm (rice), pressing down to compact. Place your serving plate upside-down over the bowl, then flip both together so the rice unmolds as a neat dome.
Slice a cucumber into 4–6 wedges and arrange them in a fan shape on one side of the rice dome.
Cut a tomato into 3–4 wedges and place them opposite the cucumbers around the rice.
Spoon a small pile of pickled daikon & carrot beside the rice dome, between the cucumbers and tomatoes.
Lay the pan-seared pork chop alongside or partially over the rice so its juices mingle with the grains.
Spoon warm mỡ hành (scallion oil with rendered pork fat) over the top edge of the rice dome so it cascades down onto the plate.
Pour the bright, tangy nước chấm into a small dipping bowl or ramekin and place it alongside for dipping and drizzling.

Notes

Where can I buy Cal rice?

You can buy California Rice at any local grocery store, look for “Calrose” in the name or “grown in CA” on the back of the bag/package. You can eat California Rice at virtually any sushi restaurant in the U.S.

For more information, please visit: ﬀ.recipes/calrice

Sponsored by California Rice

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I’m Tu David Phu—a chef, storyteller, and proud Oakland native with a deep love for the flavors and traditions of Vietnamese cuisine. This space reflects everything I hold close: the roots that shaped me, the flavors that define me, and the stories I’m passionate about sharing.

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Com Sườn Nướng (Grilled Pork Chops) Recipe

Com Sườn Nướng (Grilled Pork Chops)

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Recommended Products

The Memory of Taste Cookbook

Son Fish Sauce

Yuzu Jam

Similar Recipes

Chả Trứng Hấp | Vietnamese Egg Terrine

Thịt Kho Trứng (Braised Pork Belly & Eggs)

Bò Tái Chanh (Vietnamese Beef Carpaccio)

Did you make this recipe?