Com Chien Duong Chau

Name: Com Chien Duong Chau
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 to 6
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 400 g day-old rice; 80 g lap xuong; 80 g shrimp; 2 eggs; 2 tbsp fish sauce; to taste fine sea salt

25 minutes prep 45 minutes cook Serves 4 to 6 rice

Com Chien Duong Chau, a beloved staple in Vietnamese-Chinese kitchens, is a dish steeped in tradition, often gracing the table for family dinners or casual gatherings. This home-cooked version captures the essence of how a Vietnamese family might prepare it, with each cook adding their personal touch, salt judged by hand and a generous use of fat, ensuring every grain of rice is imbued with rich flavor.

The dish is a symphony of textures and tastes, with the day-old rice soaking up the umami from fish sauce, while lap xuong and shrimp provide bursts of savory delight. The eggs mingle seamlessly, adding a silky richness. This is a dish crafted for sharing, inviting everyone to dig in and savor the comforting, familiar flavors.

Ingredients

400 gday-old rice
80 glap xuong
80 gshrimp
2eggs
2 tbspfish sauce
to tastefine sea salt

Method

Begin by preparing your ingredients. Dice 80 g of lap xuong into small, bite-sized pieces. Peel and devein 80 g of shrimp, then cut them into similar-sized pieces as the lap xuong. Crack 2 eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly with a fork until the yolks and whites are just combined. Measure out 2 tbsp of fish sauce and have fine sea salt ready to taste.
Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced lap xuong. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage renders its fat and turns slightly crispy, releasing a fragrant aroma, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the shrimp to the skillet with the lap xuong. Stir-fry until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, which should take about 2-3 minutes. Remove the lap xuong and shrimp from the skillet and set aside, leaving any rendered fat in the pan.
In the same skillet, pour in the beaten eggs. Allow them to cook undisturbed for a few seconds until they start to set around the edges. Gently stir the eggs with a spatula, breaking them into soft curds. Cook until they are just set but still slightly runny, then remove them from the pan and set aside.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add a bit more oil if needed. Add the 400 g of day-old rice to the skillet, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Stir-fry the rice until it is heated through and begins to turn a light golden color, indicating it's absorbing the flavors from the pan.
Return the cooked lap xuong, shrimp, and scrambled eggs to the skillet with the rice. Drizzle the 2 tbsp of fish sauce over the mixture. Stir everything together until well combined, ensuring the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the rice.
Taste the fried rice and add fine sea salt as needed, keeping in mind the fish sauce already adds saltiness. Continue to stir-fry for another minute until the rice is evenly seasoned and everything is heated through. Serve the Com Chien Duong Chau immediately, sharing it family-style at the table.