Mixed Rice (Cơm Trộn) is easy breezy and healthier than fried rice

Rice is the staff of life for countless people on this planet, and a perfect bowl of plain rice is a beautiful thing to behold and eat. But you eat rice daily, you also want a change now and then. You want something different. Fried rice and claypot rice are what many people think of but anyone who's attempted to prepare those classics knows how challenging they can be.

I've offered lots of fried rice tips in the Japanese curry fried rice recipe but to be honest, when I want a 'special' fun rice that's also easy and healthy, I make cơm trộn (mixed rice). The Vietnamese-Chinese dish is simply hot cooked rice tossed with a handful of ingredients and accented with a little quick pickle. There's minimal cooking involved to yield a cheerful, confetti-like mixture. It looks and tastes festive and you can make it from whatever you have on hand. That said, a well composed cơm trộn contains varied flavors plus eye-catching colors, shapes, and textures.

When my family lived in Vietnam in the early 1970s, there were cơm trộn shops in Chinatown set up for customers to select from a wide range of add-ins that the staff would toss together in a big bowl for you to takeaway. The light rice dish was a departure from plain boiled rice. Better yet, it can sort of be a one-dish meal if you load it up with veggies. In America, my mom regularly threw together the rice for an easygoing lunch or dinner.

My mixed rice playbook

Nowadays, when I make this confetti rice at home, I use leftovers, prepping them as the rice cooks (reheated precooked rice is swell!). As the rice cooks, prep the add-in goodies: get the pickle going and then make the egg sheet and cut egg strips first before reheat the skillet used for the egg to ready the meat, tofu and any other veggies. Put them in a bowl as you're working. Once the rice is done, I add it to the bowl, mixed it up, and serve in the bowl or transfer to a serving bowl.

Some questions you may have:

• What kind of rice to use? Any kind of rice - white, brown, or haiga (partially milled) will work. Here's my recipe for a perfect pot of jasmine rice, which will work with any long-grain white rice.
• Can you use leftover rice for mixed rice? Yes! You'll need 3 cups (720ml) or so of rice. Warm it the microwave oven then toss away with the other ingredients.

How to make vegan mixed rice

Skip the egg sheet strips and animal protein! Here are some ideas:

• Use tofu and make sure it has some character. For richness, use my easy pan-fried tofu recipe at my newsletter. Or, use extra firm tofu and cut it into ⅓-inch (8mm) cubes or crumble it into chunks. Toss with some soy sauce and salt to coat. Heat a small splash of oil over medium-high heat in the skillet, then add the tofu and let sear, stirring once in a while, until lightly seared here and there, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Sear fast cooking veggies like summer squash and or mushroom, cutting them up as ½-inch (1.25cm) pieces. Season with salt and a little soy sauce for flavor then sear like the tofu. If you have grilled leftover veggies, use them instead!

A mixed rice essential

Whatever meats, or veggies, you use, do not skip the quick sweet pepper pickle. It adds tang, crunchy streaks of color, and a fruity pungency to brighten the rice.Without the pickle, the rice is lacking a certain something that makes it taste special. Beyond the pickle, the sky's the limit for playing around and crafting endless versions of cơm trộn. Here's a skeleton of how to prepare mixed rice.

Print Recipe

Mixed Rice | Cơm Trộn

This recipe is easily scaled up. Just toss in a bigger bowl. Serves 2 to 3 as a light main course, 4 with two or three other dishes

Course: Main Course, rice, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Pickled sweet pepper

• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• ½ small red bell pepper or 2 mini sweet peppers cut into 1-inch matchsticks (½ cup total)

Rice

• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 large egg made into 1 thin Egg Sheet quartered and cut into narrow strips (see Note)
• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, rice bran, or vegetable
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 to 1 ½ cups cooked meat, seafood, or tofu cut into pea-sized pieces
• Salt
• Fish sauce, soy sauce, and/or Maggi Seasoning sauce, for serving

Instructions

• Make the pickle: Combine the water and vinegar in a small bowl. Add the bell pepper and set aside to marinate while the rice cooks.
• Cook the rice: Rinse and cook the rice to yield separate chewy, firm, 'dry' grains. You want the grains to mix well with the other ingredients so the rice shouldn't be too soft or gummy. For guidance, see the Perfect Rice recipe.
• Ready the add-ins: While the rice cooks, use the egg and a smidgen of oil to make one thin egg sheet in a medium skillet. See the Egg Sheet recipe for assistance.
• Reheat the skillet over medium heat with the remaining scant 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and green onion, and sauté until fragrant and soft, about 15 seconds. Add the chopped protein and continue cooking for a few minutes just to combine the flavors and warm things up. Season to taste with salt, and then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the egg strips and set aside.
• Assemble and serve: To serve, drain the bell pepper and add to the bowl of meat and egg strips. Use chopsticks or a fork to fluff the rice before adding it into the bowl. Mix the ingredients together well. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl or platter and bring to the table. Because the rice is lightly seasoned, invite guests to use the condiments to add their own final touches.

Notes

Notes:

Make the Egg Sheet using my recipe here. 

Check the main post for tips for using tofu and other veggies.