Cơm Tấm (Vietnamese Broken Rice)

Instructions

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1. 1 For the Grilled Pork: In a large mixing bowl, combine water, fish sauce, sugar, and vegetable oil and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Add shallot, scallion, garlic, and pepper to the bowl. Add pork to the marinade and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
2. 2 When ready to grill, thread marinated pork on soaked skewers. Light 1 chimney full of charcoal . When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to high. Cover and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate.
3. 3 Set skewers over coals or burners and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes. Move meat to cooler side of grill and cook, turning frequently and basting meat with the marinade, until cooked through and no pink remains, 12 to 15 minutes; stop basting about 5 minutes before the end of cooking time to avoid contamination with raw meat juices. Set aside and keep warm.
4. 4 Meanwhile, for the Pork-and-Egg Meatloaf: In a small bowl, soak cellophane noodles in 2 cups warm water for 15 minutes. Drain softened noodles, blot dry with paper towels to remove any excess water, then use kitchen shears to cut them into 1-inch strands. Set aside.
5. 5 Meanwhile, in another small bowl, soak wood ear mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse them thoroughly; squeeze out any excess moisture, then blot dry on paper towels. Discard any tough stems. Chop into roughly 1/4-inch pieces, and set aside.
6. 6 In a large bowl, beat egg whites until bubbly but still liquidy, about 1 minute. Whisk in fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Mix in ground pork, cellophane noodles, wood ear mushrooms, shallots, and scallions until thoroughly combined.
7. 7 Line a 4- by 7-inch loaf pan or round ceramic baking dish with parchment paper (choose whichever vessel will best fit inside a steamer setup). Spoon in pork mixture, pressing down to pack tightly. Place a steamer over a saucepan of vigorously boiling water. Transfer meatloaf mixture to steamer, cover, and steam at medium-high heat until meatloaf is puffed and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 minutes.
8. 8 Beat egg yolks lightly in a bowl. Open lid of steamer and pour egg yolks on top of meatloaf. Cover and steam until yolk is set, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Remove meatloaf from heat and set aside. Let cool for at least 1 hour (cutting into the meatloaf while still hot may make it fall apart). When ready to serve, unmold meat loaf and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
9. 9 For the Shredded Pork: In a medium bowl, soak shredded pork in just enough warm water to cover for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain thoroughly. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Spread pork skin out on a tray lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
10. 10 In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups (710ml) water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt and stir to dissolve. Add pork butt and cook until meat thermometer registers 145°F (63°C) in the center of the thickest part, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and plunge into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
11. 11 In a 10-inch stainless-steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear pork butt on all sides until a nice brown crust forms, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, slice pork into matchsticks. In a large bowl, combine pork matchsticks, pork skin, garlic, roasted rice powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and mix well. Set aside.
12. 12 For the Broken Rice: Rinse broken rice with cold water until no longer cloudy, then drain. In a rice cooker, combine 3 cups of water with rinsed broken rice and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, to cook on the stovetop, in a large 4- or 5-quart pot, combine water and rinsed rice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then uncover pot and fluff rice to allow excess moisture to escape. Keep warm.
13. 13 For the Drizzling Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine water, sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice and mix until sugar has dissolved. Stir in garlic and chile. Set aside.
14. 14 For the Scallion Oil : In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine scallion, oil, salt, and sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 60 seconds. Remove wrap and mix well.
15. 15 To Assemble and Serve: Remove grilled pork from skewers. Divide rice onto serving plates. Arrange warm grilled pork (on or off skewer, as desired), slightly warm sliced pork-and-egg meatloaf, and shredded pork around rice. Drizzle scallion oil over rice and meat. Add lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber next to meat. Serve with drizzling sauce, pickled vegetables, and pickled leeks on the side.