Broken rice refers to pieces of rice kernels that have been broken during the milling process. This can happen in the field, during drying, transport, or milling itself. Broken rice is perfectly edible and nutritious, just like whole rice kernels. It may even cook faster and absorb flavors more readily due to its increased surface area.

What if I don't have broken rice?

No problem! You can use regular cooked white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or another whole grain of your choice.

Is this dish gluten-free?

The recipe itself is gluten-free, but be sure to check the ingredients label of your store-bought fish sauce and soy sauce as some brands may contain wheat. If you have celiac disease, you may want to use tamari instead of soy sauce, as tamari is naturally gluten-free.

Vegan Vietnamese Broken Rice (Com Tam Chay)

Name: Vegan Vietnamese Broken Rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 cup of broken rice (sub with short-grain or jasmine rice); 1.5 cups of water; 400 g extra firm tofu; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1.5 tbsp vegan oyster sauce; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce; 1 tsp 5-spice powder (optional); 2 tsp sesame oil; 3 tbsp water; 1 tbsp oil; ¼ cup water to deglaze the pan; 2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (or sub with soy sauce); 2 tbsp sugar; Juice from a lime (or 2 tbsp rice vinegar); 2 tbsp hot water; 1 tsp each of minced garlic and chili peppers; 2 stalks spring onion; 4 tbsp hot oil; 1 cucumber (sliced); 2 tomatoes (sliced); 4 pieces Vietnamese steamed tofu loaf (prepare the day before)

Description

Vegan Vietnamese Broken Rice (Cơm Tấm Chay) offers a plant-based twist on the beloved Southern Vietnamese classic. It features tender broken rice paired with savory grilled tofu, tofu meatloaf, aromatic scallion oil, and the iconic vegan fish sauce, making it a flavorful and satisfying dish.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Broken Rice:

1 cup of broken rice (sub with short-grain or jasmine rice)
1.5 cups of water

Marinated Tofu:

400 g extra firm tofu
2 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1 tsp 5-spice powder (optional)
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan

Vegan Fish Sauce Mix (Nước Mắm Chấm)

2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (or sub with soy sauce)
2 tbsp sugar
Juice from a lime (or 2 tbsp rice vinegar)
2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp each of minced garlic and chili peppers

Scallion Oil:

2 stalks spring onion
4 tbsp hot oil

Optional Toppings

1 cucumber (sliced)
2 tomatoes (sliced)
4 pieces Vietnamese steamed tofu loaf (prepare the day before)

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Instructions

Cook the Rice

Rinse the broken rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
Add the rice and water to a rice cooker or pot. Cook until the rice is soft and fluffy. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Prepare the Marinated Tofu

Press the tofu to remove excess water, then slice it into thin, rectangular pieces.
In a bowl, mix soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, sugar, sriracha, 5-spice powder (if using), sesame oil, and water.
Add the tofu slices to the marinade and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Pan-sear the tofu slices until golden brown on both sides.
Pour ¼ cup water into the pan to deglaze and let the tofu absorb the extra flavor.
Drizzle the remaining marinade over the tofu before serving. Remove from heat.

Make the Vegan Fish Sauce Mix

In a small bowl, mix vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce), sugar, lime juice (or rice vinegar), and hot water.
Stir in the minced garlic and chili peppers. Set aside.

Prepare the Scallion Oil

Heat 4 tbsp oil until hot (but not smoking).
Pour the hot oil over the chopped spring onions in a heatproof bowl and stir. This creates a fragrant scallion oil to drizzle over the dish.

Assemble the Dish

Plate the cooked broken rice.
Arrange the marinated tofu slices and tofu loaf pieces on top.
Add cucumber and tomato slices on the side.
Drizzle scallion oil over the rice and tofu.
Serve with a side of vegan fish sauce mix for dipping.

Notes

The dish can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Feel free to swap the toppings and skip the sauce (I recommend using at least 1 of the 2 sauces).

Make the tofu loaf the day before

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Main Course, Meal
Method: frying, marinating
Cuisine: Vietnamese