After harvesting rice, farmers need to separate the grains from the stalk, then husk these grains to remove their outer layer. Each grain contains a small germ called tam, which falls off the grain during the husking process.
These days, the grains, once removed from the stalk, are immediately brought to a rice-milling factory, where they undergo a series of processes, comprising husking, grinding, winnowing, and so forth. The endproducts are white, shiny grains of rice and tam.
It is easy to distinguish between tam and broken rice, since a grain of tam is round and smooth. Once cooked, it does not expand as much as a grain of rice and tastes distinctly sweeter. Tam rice is difficult to prepare - the simplest way, it seems, is by soaking the grains in cold water for a few hours before cooking them in a large pot. This way, the rice remains warm, but not dry, for an entire day
In Saigon tam rice can be found virtually everywhere, deep down alleys or in big restaurants. A few hawkers selling this fare are so famous that they open a series of eateries, all numbered, to offer this special dish to people living as far as America. Most claim that their tam rice is original, but how on earth could there be so many original tam rice stalls?
Whether tam rice, a delicious fare itself, is considered high-end food depends on the side dishes, as well as the quality of tam used. Customers can order tam rice with such simple fares as sliced pork skin and fried eggs or more expensive dishes such as grilled chicken and pork, or braised prawn. Fish sauce, pickled vegetables and deep-fried shallots are indispensable and offered for free even if customers just order a plate of plain rice.
Grilled pork rib is the most common side dish, offered by both Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants selling tam rice. There are various ways of marinating the pork rib, but the basic ingredients include salt, pepper, shallot, garlic, sugar, cooking oil or fat. The cooks can use either fish sauce, soy sauce or smashed tomato depending on whether they wish to give the dish a Vietnamese, Chinese or Western flavor
In Saigon there are a few restaurants specializing in grilled food, both Western and Asian. Their menu include grilled pork, beef, mutton, chicken marinated with unique spices from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Russia, Spain or America. The side dishes comprise of salad, French fries, smashed potatoes and even tam rice. This explains why those who first come across tam rice in these restaurants may feel a little puzzled.
However, authentic Saigon's tam rice only goes with either grilled pork rib, sliced pork skin, or cha (steamed minced pork coated with a layer of eggs). The fish sauce must be contained in a bottle, and served with minced chili only, instead of pickled vegetables, cucumber and tomato. In the past, hawkers did not grill the pork ribs near the street, but now they do so as a marketing strategy to entice passers-by with the irresistible aroma. Mix the spring onion, soaked in fat, with the rice, and customers will find all their senses invigorated as they tuck into the dish, until the very last grain.
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