Vietnamese Red Rice (Cơm Đỏ) (2024)

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What is Vietnamese Red Rice?

Known as cơm đỏ, Vietnamese red rice is a simple fried tomato rice. It’s similar to Spanish rice or Mexican rice. It’s infused with fried garlic flavor, tomato paste for its red color and simply seasoned.

Don’t confuse this with Vietnamese Red Sticky Rice (Xôi Gấc), which is a Vietnamese dessert. Xio Gac is sweet rice, colored by the the pulp of the gac fruit.

This particular rice is traditionally served with Vietnamese shaking beef (bo luc lac) but you can enjoy it with stir fried dishes or a simple fried egg for a complete easy meal.

This recipe only takes 6 simple ingredients and ready in about 10 minutes.

Ingredients & Substitutions

To make Com Do, gather the following ingredients:

• Rice: The best rice for this dish is jasmine rice, a type of long-grain white rice. Just like other fried rice recipes, you’ll want to use day-old rice that’s been refrigerated. This firms up the outside of the rice grains, which toast nicely in oil without becoming mushy. If you don’t have day-old rice, you can cook a fresh batch but use about 1/4 less water.
• Garlic: Adds a wonderful aroma that’s essential to the dish.
• Neutral Oil: Helps sauté the garlic to bring out its aroma. I’m using vegetable oil, but other neutral oils, such as peanut oil or avocado oil, work well too.
• Tomato Paste: Provides the characteristic red color and a hint of tang. We are only using a tablespoon of tomato paste. Transfer the rest in a small ziploc bag, flatten it out and store it in the freezer for future recipes. When you need it for other dishes, such as Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho), snap off a frozen piece.
• Chicken Bouillon Powder and Salt: A combination of chicken bouillon powder and sea salt creates the perfect seasoning blend. If you don’t have chicken bouillon powder, try substituting with mushroom seasoning powder. If neither is available, Maggi seasoning or light soy sauce work well too, though soy sauce may darken the red color.

Step 1: Heat the oil and sauté the garlic

In a large pan or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and pan fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 2: Add rice, tomato paste and seasonings

Add the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon or large utensil. Stir in the tomato paste and add the seasonings. Mix the rice until it’s coated in the tomato mixture and evenly red and cook for about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Step 3: Serve and enjoy

Enjoy as a side to your protein such as Vietnamese Shaking Beef Recipe (Bò Lúc Lắc) or lemongrass roast chicken or crispy pork belly.

Storage & Reheating

Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze it for up to four months.

To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe bowl, moisten a paper towel and place it over the rice. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, or heat on the stovetop in a pan until warmed through.

FAQs

Can I add butter?

Of course. For this recipe and any fried rice recipes, you can add a tablespoon at the end to finish with a buttery rich aroma and flavor.

Can I use fish sauce as the seasonings?

You can, but I prefer not to. Fish sauce flavored fried rice doesn’t hit right.

Related posts:

1. Lazy Fried Rice in Rice Cooker Recipe with Chinese Sausage (Cơm Chiên / Cơm Trộn Lạp Xưởng Nồi Cơm Điện)
2. BBQ Pork Asparagus Fried Rice (Com Chien Xa Xiu Mang Tay)
3. Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage (Com Chien Lap Xuong)
4. Chicken Fried Rice with Broccoli