Shadowing Practice: How to make Broken Rice | Cơm Tấm from Scratch - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Broken rice is one of those dishes that is made of many components.
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At first, it may seem intimidating, but once you understand it, it's the kind of meal that you'll want to make for your family and the people you care about.
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Over the past month, I've been eating my way through some of the best broken rice restaurants in Saigon, talking with friends and the many different vendors,
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taking in as much as I could so that I could bring everything
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that I've learned back into this kitchen and share it with you.
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In this video, I will walk you through how to make the different elements from the marinade to the sauce
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so you could confidently make broken rice at home.
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So with that being said, let's get cooking.
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One of the main components of broken rice is the grilled pork.
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Traditionally, pork chop is used, but for this video, I'm using pork jiao.
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It's more forgiving, stays moist, and I personally prefer the texture.
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Before marinating, lightly puncture the surface of the pork.
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This helps the meat absorb the seasoning more evenly.
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To build a marinade, blend garlic
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and shallot with water to create an aromatic liquid strain it through a fine sieve
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and discard the solids any leftover pulp can burn during the
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grilling process in a mixing bowl combine condensed milk honey oyster
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sauce fish sauce sugar salt MSG five spice powder annatto oil
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and the strained aromatic liquid mix well then massage the marinade
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into the pork until every piece is fully coated transfer the pork to a ziploc bag
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and refrigerate for four to five hours or until you're ready to cook.
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Along with the grilled pork, the star of broken rice is the fish sauce.
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Unlike dipping sauces, kem tam fish sauce is thicker.
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It's meant to soak into the rice.
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This process takes about 40 to 50 minutes.
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In an 8 -inch sauce pan, combine water, sugar, and a few pieces of pineapple and bring to a gentle simmer.
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And never a rolling boil.
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Let it simmer for 20 minutes, remove the pineapple, and continue reducing for another 20 minutes.
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Add the fish sauce, MSG, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
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Then remove it from the heat, pass it through a fine mesh strainer, then season with salt to taste.
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As it cools, the sauce will continue to thicken.
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You can refrigerate it or chill it over an ice bath if you're short on time.
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Once cooled at the garlic and chilies, a rough chop helps them float so lay them on a paper towel to remove excess moisture before stirring them in.
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Pickled carrot and daikon is something you can prepare in advance and keep in the fridge ready to use when needed.
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The acidity cuts through the richness of the pork while the crunch adds another layer of texture to the plate.
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To make the pickling brine, combine water, sugar, and salt in a small pot.
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Gently warm over low heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves.
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Let the brine cool completely before adding distilled vinegar.
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For the vegetables, you can use any cut you like, but a julienne is most common for broken rice.
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Add the carrot and daikon to a mixing bowl, sprinkle with 2 % sea salt based on their total weight and mix well.
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Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes then rinse under running water using a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.
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Bring out as much excess moisture as possible.
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Spread the vegetable out and let them air dry for 5 to 10 minutes.
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This helps the brine cling better and keeps the pickles crisp.
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Transfer the carrot and daikon to a jar, pour over the pickling brine and refrigerate until chilled.
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This is one of my personal favorites.
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I could eat this with rice on its own and be perfectly happy.
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The steamed egg meatloaf is essential to a plate of broken rice.
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The texture should be tender and cohesive.
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Start by rehydrating the cellophane noodles in warm water until softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
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In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork with salt, sugar, black pepper, MSG, fish sauce,
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garlic, shallots, and tapioca starch.
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Mix well then set aside.
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Roughly chop the softened noodles and wood ear mushrooms then fold them into the pork mixture.
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Add the eggs and mix just until everything is evenly incorporated.
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Place a pan of warm water in the oven to help create steam and keep the meatloaf from drying out.
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Transfer the mixture to a parchment lined pan and bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 40 minutes.
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Once cooked, brush the surface with egg yolk mixed with anato oil, then return it to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, just until the top is set and lightly glossy.
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There's an art to making pork cracklings.
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It's an essential component of broken rice, adding aroma, richness, and texture, and it takes patience to get it right.
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Start by cleaning the pork fat with ginger, salt, and a touch of vinegar.
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Then simmer it briefly for about 5 minutes.
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This step helps remove impurities and any strong odors.
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Cut the pork fat into half -inch cubes, keeping the pieces uniform, ensures they cook evenly.
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Transfer the fat into a pan over low heat with a small amount of water.
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Gently warm it to slowly render the fat.
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Now this is where patience matters.
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Rush this and the cracklings will burn before they ever crisp.
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As the fat finish rendering, add crushed garlic, shallot, and just a touch of fish sauce to build aroma.
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Once the crackling turns golden and crisp, strain them and reserve the rendered fat.
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This lard will be used again later.
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To give the cracklings extra crunch, flash fry them for a few seconds in hot oil, then drain and set aside.
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Scallion oil plays an important part in broken rice.
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Start by heating a mixture of neutral oil and a small amount of rendered pork fat from earlier.
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Add minced garlic and cook gently until fragrant.
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Add the white part of the scallions and cook for about a minute.
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Then add the green scallion and immediately turn off the heat.
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The residual heat is enough to soften them while keeping their colors vibrant.
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Finish with a touch of sugar and salt.
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Stir to combine then transfer to a separate bowl.
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Ah, the julienned pork skin.
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These julienned pork skin could be store -bought, making it from scratch is labor -intensive and isn't worth the effort.
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In a bowl, combine the pork skin along with a touch of fish sauce, sugar, roasted rice powder, a touch of white pepper,
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mix until it's well incorporated and set aside.
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When you're cooking broken rice, the water ratio is lower than regular jasmine rice.
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You're not looking for something soft or sticky here.
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The texture should be slightly drier with each grain separated and never clumped together.
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Rinse the rice two to three times.
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The water doesn't need to run completely clear, then let the rice drain for about 10 minutes.
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This helps control excess moisture before cooking.
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After that, it goes straight into a rice cooker, add just enough water to hydrate the rice, cook it until it's done, and that's it.
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This next component adds a layer of freshness to the dish.
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Chilled cucumber and sliced tomatoes.
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After all the richness, this is what brings balance.
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When you're ready to grill, it's important to set up two different temperature zones.
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One side of the grill should be hot for finishing and building char, the other should be lower heat so the meat can cook through gently.
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Once the charcoal is ready, transfer the marinade to a separate bowl, place the pork jowl on the cooler side of the grill, cook for about a minute,
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then flip and continue cooking for another minute with the grill lid closed.
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After each flip, brush the surface lightly with the marinade.
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When the internal temperature reaches around 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, move the pork to the hotter side of the grill and finish it there.
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This is That's where you develop that deep charred color without overcooking the meat.
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Okay now this last component isn't essential to broken rice but if you have the time, it's worth doing.
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To do this safely, heat a pan of oil to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully pour the egg whites first and let it set.
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Once it firms up, poke a small hole in the center and gently drop the yolk in.
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Let it cook just long enough for the yolk to hold then remove it from the oil and set aside.
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Now that every component is ready, it's time to plate and assemble.
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Start with the broken rice placed slightly off to the side then add the steamed egg meatloaf,
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the julienned pork skin, sliced tomato and chilled cucumber and the pickled carrot and daikon.
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Next comes the grilled pork jowl followed by the fried egg.
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Finish with scallion oil and a generous sprinkle of pork cracklins.
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And there you have it a complete plate of Vietnamese broken rice.
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I hope this video serves as a reference point for
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when you make broken rice at home for the ones you care about.
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I know it sounds like a lot, but just like my friend Kai said, the more that you practice, the more you'll get better.
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Thanks for watching and I'll see you guys next time.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “How to make Broken Rice”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: pork, rice, broken, sauce, add. This video has 115 sentences and 1571 words to shadow. The speech runs for 10:09. The speaker talks at a natural 155 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 73% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| grill noun | /ɡɹɪl/ | A grating; a grid of wire or a sheet of material with a pattern of holes or slots, usually used to protect something while allowing the passage of air and… |
| combine verb | /kəmˈbaɪn/ | To bring (two or more things or activities) together; to unite. |
| component noun | /kəmˈpoʊ.nənt/ | A smaller, self-contained part of a larger entity. Often refers to a manufactured object that is part of a larger device. |
| marinade noun | /ˌmɛɹɪˈneɪd/ | A seasoned, often acidic liquid mixture in which food is marinated, or soaked, usually to flavor and prepare it for cooking. |
| pickle noun | /ˈpɪkəl/ | A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup. |
| garlic noun | /ˈɡɑɹlɪk/ | A plant, Allium sativum, related to the onion, having a pungent bulb much used in cooking. |
| texture noun | /ˈtɛkst͡ʃə(ɹ)/ | The feel or shape of a surface or substance; the smoothness, roughness, softness, etc. of something. |
| gently adverb | /ˈd͡ʒɛntli/ | Without strong force or quickness: softly, lightly. |
| brine noun | /ˈbɹaɪ̯n/ | Salt water; water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt; a salt-and-water solution for pickling. |
| daikon noun | /ˈdaɪkɒn/ | An East Asian cultivar or subspecies of garden radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus, syn. Raphanus sativus) bearing a large, white, carrot-shaped… |
| julienne noun | /ˌdʒuːliˈɛn/ | A garnish of vegetables cut into long, thin strips. |
| scallion noun | [ˈskæ.lɪ.ən] | A spring onion, Allium fistulosum. |
| simmer verb | /ˈsɪmɚ/ | To cook or undergo heating slowly at or below the boiling point. |
| carrot noun | /ˈkæɹət/ | A vegetable with a nutritious, juicy, sweet root that is often orange in colour, Daucus carota, family Apiaceae, especially the subspecies sativus. |
| render verb | /ˈɹɛn.dɚ/ | To cause to become. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| set aside verb | /sɛt.əˈsaɪd/ | To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose. |
| bring out verb | To elicit, evoke, or emphasize (a particular quality). | |
| cut through verb | To take a shortcut through. | |
| dry out verb | To cause moisture to be completely removed from; to make dry. | |
| set up verb | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | To make ready for use. |
| turn off verb | To power down, to switch off, to put out of operation, to deactivate (an appliance, light, mechanism, functionality etc.). | |
| warm over verb | To reheat food that was previously cooked. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is made · being said · is set |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should be |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll want · will walk · will continue |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm using · you're cooking · You're not looking |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I've, isn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shallot /ˈʃælət/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, dish /dɪʃ/, brush /bɹʌʃ/, freshness /ˈfɹɛʃnəs/
- Long words — get the stress right: refrigerate /ɹɪˈfɹɪd͡ʒəɹeɪt/, aromatic /ˌɛɹ.əˈmæt.ɪk/, incorporate /ɪŋˈkɔɹ.pɚ.eɪt/, acidity /əˈsɪd.ɪ.ti/, confidently /ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like grill, combine, component.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.