Com Hen (rice with baby clams)

“Cơm hến” is no longer the preserve of the poor people in Central Vietnam, but the favorite of Hue locals and tourists, thanks to its deliciousness and simplicity. With a quite complex recipe, including crunchy cold rice, clams, fried pork fat, roasted peanuts, chili pepper, banana flower, star fruit, green apple, mint herb, taro stem, fermented shrimp sauce and the most indispensible sauce, clam broth, “cơm hến” let us enjoy  all sweet, buttery, salty, sour, bitter, and extremely peppery-hot tastes at once.
Photo: daynauan.info.vn

The most interesting thing here is the special combination of the cold rice and the hot clam broth. Besides, the mixed fruits and vegetables bring fresh, crispy, vibrant flavors that are bound to abate the hot of the summer, while the piping hot of the clam broth is supposed to warm guests’ hearts in the winter. It is tempting to enjoy a savory bow of “cơm hến”.