Riz aux petites palourdes de Huế
Riz froid garni de petites palourdes, de couenne de porc croustillante, d'herbes fraîches et de cacahuètes, arrosé de bouillon chaud et d'huile pimentée.
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Étapes
Purge and cook the clams
Scrub the clam shells and soak them in salted water for 30 minutes so they spit out any grit. Drain, then bring the water to a boil with the clams and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until all the shells open. Strain the broth through a fine cloth or sieve into a clean pot, and pick the clam meat out of the shells, discarding the shells.
Fry the pork crackling
Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and add the pork fat cubes. Fry gently, stirring now and then, until the cubes turn deep golden and crackling-crisp. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto paper towel and keep the rendered fat in the pan.
Fry shallots and peanuts
In the same pan of rendered fat, fry the shallots over medium heat until golden and lift out onto paper towel. Add the peanuts to the pan and fry gently until golden and fragrant, then cool and crush them lightly with the side of a knife or a mortar.
Toss the rice
In a large bowl, combine the cold rice, clam meat, pork crackling, banana blossom, perilla, Vietnamese mint and bean sprouts. Add the fish sauce, sugar and chili oil, then toss everything gently with your hands or chopsticks so the rice is coated but still loose and separate, not mashed.
Reheat the broth
Pour the reserved clam broth into a small pot, add a small pinch of salt to taste, and bring it back to a strong simmer. Keep it hot on the stove; it is poured over each bowl at the table, almost like a soup.
Serve and enjoy
Divide the tossed rice among bowls, scatter the crispy shallots and crushed peanuts over the top, and ladle a little of the hot clam broth around the edge just before eating. Serve with lime wedges and extra chili oil on the side so everyone can adjust the heat and acidity themselves.
Purge and cook the clams
Scrub the clam shells and soak them in salted water for 30 minutes so they spit out any grit. Drain, then bring the water to a boil with the clams and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until all the shells open. Strain the broth through a fine cloth or sieve into a clean pot, and pick the clam meat out of the shells, discarding the shells.
Fry the pork crackling
Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and add the pork fat cubes. Fry gently, stirring now and then, until the cubes turn deep golden and crackling-crisp. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto paper towel and keep the rendered fat in the pan.
Fry shallots and peanuts
In the same pan of rendered fat, fry the shallots over medium heat until golden and lift out onto paper towel. Add the peanuts to the pan and fry gently until golden and fragrant, then cool and crush them lightly with the side of a knife or a mortar.
Toss the rice
In a large bowl, combine the cold rice, clam meat, pork crackling, banana blossom, perilla, Vietnamese mint and bean sprouts. Add the fish sauce, sugar and chili oil, then toss everything gently with your hands or chopsticks so the rice is coated but still loose and separate, not mashed.
Reheat the broth
Pour the reserved clam broth into a small pot, add a small pinch of salt to taste, and bring it back to a strong simmer. Keep it hot on the stove; it is poured over each bowl at the table, almost like a soup.
Serve and enjoy
Divide the tossed rice among bowls, scatter the crispy shallots and crushed peanuts over the top, and ladle a little of the hot clam broth around the edge just before eating. Serve with lime wedges and extra chili oil on the side so everyone can adjust the heat and acidity themselves.
The Story Behind the Dish
Cơm hến grew up far from the grand banquets of the Nguyen court, in the small houses and riverside stalls of Hue where cooks turned leftover cold rice and tiny clams gathered from the Huong River into a cheap, filling meal. Over time it became one of the city's most recognizable dishes, sold by street vendors who carry all the components in baskets and assemble each bowl to order.
Despite its simple, inexpensive ingredients, the dish reflects the layered, meticulous character of Hue cuisine, where contrasting textures and small bursts of flavor matter as much as the main ingredient itself. It remains a beloved breakfast and snack across the city today.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It is famous as a masterclass in contrast: cold rice against hot broth, briny clams against sweet, crunchy toppings, and gentle, mild grains against a sharp hit of chili, all in one humble bowl.
💡 Fun Fact
The tiny clams used for the dish are harvested from the Huong (Perfume) River that runs through Hue, and vendors traditionally sell the dish from baskets carried on a shoulder pole.
Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam
16.46°N, 107.59°E
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