Brian Jeffrey
A captivating video of workers breaking pots and tossing rice at a claypot rice restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City has captured the interest of many diners.
With their swift and skillful actions, the rice seemed to soar through the air, creating a delightful spectacle for the guests.
This claypot rice, known as com nieu, is a specialty at a restaurant renowned for its traditional Vietnamese cuisine in Ho Chi Minh City.
The restaurant manager, Dung Phan, explained that the technique of breaking the pots to access the crispy rice is revamped into a humorous display, enhancing the atmosphere and clearing out any pot fragments mixed with the rice.
The small opening of the pots makes it challenging to retrieve the rice without breaking them, making this step essential.
“When we break the pots, the shards often land in the rice, so we toss it to eliminate these bits,” Dung noted. “We’ve transformed this into an entertaining artistic act that pleased our customers.”
To prepare delicious claypot rice, chefs must pay careful attention to every aspect of the cooking process, from selecting the rice and pot to determining the cooking method.
The rice variety chosen is special, exhibiting stickiness and a distinct aroma. The clay pots are crafted using a method that bakes them over deep fire, ensuring they are strong yet thin enough to endure high temperatures without breaking.
These unique pots enhance the rice’s flavor and retain heat, keeping it warm for an extended period.
At the restaurant, the claypot rice is prepared in a brick oven, where chefs utilize heat and steam for cooking. A typical pot of rice takes about 45 minutes to cook, but a pot meant for breaking requires between 1 to 1.5 hours to develop a crispy crust at the bottom.
A standard portion of claypot rice costs VND30,000, whereas the broken version is priced at VND50,000.
Dung mentioned that the broken claypot rice is offered only upon request, allowing diners to enjoy the performance as part of their meal. Most staff members are skilled in creating the ‘flying claypot rice’ experience.
“We sometimes craft amusing scenarios during the act. There are moments when rice inadvertently drops, adding to the fun for our guests,” she shared.
“Any rice that falls is collected to feed animals, helping us minimize food waste,” she added.
Kate Lyzgina, a Russian resident currently living in Hanoi, expressed her fondness for broken claypot rice, mentioning how she enjoys both the performance and the dish. Each time she visits Ho Chi Minh City for work, she makes sure to stop by the restaurant to order it, particularly enjoying it with ‘kho quet’ (a Vietnamese caramelized pork dip).
Kate often recommends claypot rice as a traditional Vietnamese specialty to her friends and acquaintances visiting from Russia.
Thu Lan, a 38-year-old resident from Ho Chi Minh City’s central business district, shared that her family frequently dines at the claypot rice restaurant on weekends.
“My kids love the lively performances and the tasty food, and they even get to decorate their own clay pots while learning about traditional pottery,” Lan added.
The act of serving broken claypot rice not only entertains but also showcases Vietnamese traditional culture, tied closely to the pottery craft that has existed for years.
“In today’s world, many claypot artisans are struggling due to the rise of electric cookers. By promoting the use of clay pots and the broken claypot rice dish, we can support these skilled artisans and help sustain their livelihoods while preserving this traditional craft,” Dung concluded.
