Cơm Cháy Mỡ Hành
Cơm Cháy Mỡ Hành·(gohm chai muh hahng)
Tận Dụng: Next-Day Frugality & Leftovers
Yesterday’s stiffened grains scraped from the bottom of the rice cooker do not belong in the compost bin. Cơm cháy began as the unintended, prized byproduct of cooking rice in a heavy cast-iron pot over a wood fire. Through the practice of Tận Dụng, you save that stuck rice. You don't need a wood fire or multi-day sun-drying to pull this off; the secret is simply a sad Tupperware of cold, day-old jasmine rice. When that slightly dehydrated starch hits a hot, oiled pan, it transforms into a shattering disc painted with sweet fish sauce glaze, rich scallion oil, and salty pork floss. Pull it from the heat while the scallion oil hisses, and eat it straight from the skillet.
Before you start
Mix the fish sauce glaze.
In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and the minced chili until the sugar completely dissolves into a thick, syrupy glaze.
Season the chopped scallions.
Place the finely chopped scallions in a small heat-proof bowl and stir in the 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and chicken bouillon (or salt) to lightly cure them before they meet the hot oil.
Ingredients
- leftover cooked Jasmine rice2 cup
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- water1 small bowl
- scallions4 med
- sugar1/4 tsp
- chicken bouillon powder or salt1/4 tsp
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- fish sauce2 tbsp
- sugar2 tbsp
- water1 tbsp
- Thai bird's eye chili1 med
- pork floss1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Flash-cook the scallion oil.
In a small skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers and vigorously bubbles when a wooden chopstick is inserted, then carefully pour the smoking hot oil over the seasoned scallions.
- 02
Prepare the pan for the rice.
Place an 8-inch or 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and swirl in 1 1/2 tablespoons of neutral oil to thoroughly coat the bottom.
- 03
Press the cold rice tightly into the skillet.
Add about half of your cold leftover rice to the center, then dip a flat spatula into your bowl of cold water and aggressively press the rice out into a single, tightly packed, even layer.
- 04
Crisp the bottom until shattering and golden.
Let the rice cook undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes, and after about 8 minutes, gently scrape away any loose, un-crisped grains from the top surface to ensure the final disc is purely crunchy.
- 05
Remove the disc and repeat.
Once the edges are deeply golden brown and the disc slides around as one cohesive unit, carefully transfer it to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and rice.
- 06
Glaze, garnish, and serve immediately.
While the rice is still piping hot, drizzle the fish sauce glaze evenly over the surface, follow with a generous spoonful of the scallion oil, and finish with a scattered handful of fluffed pork floss before breaking it into shards with your hands.
Notes
Respect the retrogradation.
Fresh rice will not work. It must be cold and at least a day old so the starches dry out and crystallize, allowing the rice to aggressively crisp in the hot oil instead of turning to mush.
The water trick is non-negotiable.
Wetting your spatula or fingers with cold water is grandmother-level engineering. It prevents the sticky starches from clinging to your tools, allowing you to compress the disc properly.