Cơm Hến Recipe - NGON Vietnam

Cơm Hến

Rice with Baby Clams

A flavorful dish from Huế featuring rice topped with sautéed baby clams, fresh herbs, crispy pork skin, roasted peanuts, and a light clam broth served on the side.

Other variations:

Cơm hến Huế, Cơm hến khô, Cơm hến chan nước, Cơm hến chay

Region

Central Vietnam

Preparation Time

1h00

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

About this recipe

Cơm Hến is a humble yet iconic dish of Huế, traditionally made with river clams from the Perfume River. It is known for its mix of temperatures, textures, and flavors - cool rice, warm clams, fresh vegetables, and crunchy toppings.

Ingredients List

500 g cooked rice (room temperature) 1.5 kg baby clams in shell (cleaned; about 300 - 375 g clam meat) 2 shallots (minced) 2 cloves garlic (minced) 2 tbsp fermented shrimp paste (Huế-style mắm ruốc) 1 - 2 tsp sugar 2 tbsp oil (divided) 1 cup fresh herbs (perilla, basil, mint) 100 g banana blossom (thinly sliced) 100 g bean sprouts 50 g roasted peanuts (crushed) 50 g crispy pork skin 2 tbsp chili oil fish sauce, salt and black pepper (ground), to taste water (to cover the clams, plus a little for the shrimp paste)

Materials & Tools

Large pot Wok or frying pan Knife and chopping board Mixing bowls Strainer

Preparation steps

Total Time

1h00

Cooking Time

45 min

Active Time

15 min

Cook Clams

Put clams in a pot with cold water to cover and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, stir so meat separates from shells. Strain and keep broth, then rinse clam meat to remove any shells and sand.

25 min

Sauté Clams

Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry shallots until fragrant. Add clam meat and stir-fry quickly over high heat, then season with fish sauce and pepper.

10 min

Cook Shrimp Paste

Mix shrimp paste with a little warm water. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil, fry garlic until fragrant, then add shrimp paste and sugar and stir until fragrant.

5 min

Prepare Vegetables

Wash and chop herbs and bean sprouts. Soak sliced banana blossom in lightly salted water to keep it white, then drain.

10 min

Assemble Bowl

Put rice in bowls and top with herbs, bean sprouts and banana blossom, then clam meat, peanuts, crispy pork skin, chili oil and a spoonful of shrimp paste.

5 min

Serve

Reheat clam broth and season with a little shrimp paste. Mix everything in bowl before eating, and pour over a little hot broth or serve it in a small bowl alongside.

5 min