← Nouns Cooking · Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 30 g glass (bean thread) noodles
• 10 g dried wood ear mushroom
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
• 450 g Minced pork
• 1 Shallot, minced
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 2 Spring onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ tbsp Fish sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 4 eggs, for the mix
• 2 egg yolks, for the top
• 1 tsp oil, for the dish

Method

1. Soak the noodles and mushrooms in warm water for 20 min. Drain, then cut the noodles into short lengths and finely chop the mushrooms.
2. Mix the pork with the shallot, garlic, spring onion, fish sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Beat in the 4 eggs, then the noodles and mushrooms, until evenly combined.
3. Oil a 20 cm heatproof dish and press in the mixture, smoothing the top.
4. Set the dish in a steamer over simmering water, cover and steam over medium heat for 25–30 min, until firm in the middle and the juices run clear (75°C / 165°F in the centre). Wipe the lid now and then so water doesn’t drip on top.
5. Beat the yolks and brush them over the top. Steam for 3–5 min more until the yolk layer is set and bright yellow. For a toasty top, slide under a hot grill for 2 minutes.
6. Rest for 5 min, then cut into wedges. Serve with rice, cucumber and nước chấm.

Tips

• A spoonful of picked crab meat in the mix makes it extra special, as many Saigon cơm tấm stalls do.
• Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days and are excellent in a bánh mì.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Delightful Plate Vicky Pham Wok and Kin