Cha Trung / Vietnamese Egg Meatloaf
When people think of cơm tấm, their minds usually jump to the smoky grilled pork chops (suon nuong), the crispy shredded pork skin (bi heo), or the perfect sunny-side-up egg. But quietly nestled next to those stars of the plate is chả trứng, the humble steamed egg meatloaf. It's often dismissed as just a side
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1 Bundle Glass Noodles
- 1/3 cup Dried Wood Ear Mushroom
- 3 Stalks Green Onion (White Part Only)
- 6 Eggs (4 Whole, 2 White)
- 1 tbsp Garlic, Minced
- 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp MSG
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 tbsp Annatto Seed Oil
- 3 Stalks Green Onion (Green Part Only)
- 3 tbsp Neutral Oil
- 1/4 tsp MSG
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- Rice
- Pickled Veggies
- Nuoc Cham
Instructions
- 1
Prep Work:
- 2
Soak wood ear mushrooms and glass noodles separately in room temperature water for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water, and give both a rough chop
- 3
Separate green onions into white and green parts. Finely chop both and set aside—whites for the meatloaf, greens for scallion oil
- 4
Make the Cha Trung:
- 5
In a large mixing bowl, mix together ground pork, chopped wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, green onion whites, and minced garlic
- 6
Add four whole eggs and two egg whites (reserve the two yolks for topping). Season with fish sauce, MSG, sugar, and white pepper. Mix well until thoroughly combined
- 7
Prepare Container:
- 8
Lightly oil a 6x6x2" oven-safe container (or line with parchment paper). Pour in the mixture and flatten the top with a wooden spoon.
- 9
Steam over medium heat for about 30-40 minutes. At the halfway point, crack the lid slightly to prevent water from dripping on top. Gently press the center with a wooden spoon to flatten any dome. Wipe the lid dry and continue steaming until the loaf is mostly cooked
- 10
In a small bowl, mix egg yolks with annatto oil. Brush over the top of the cha trung. Steam for another 5–10 minutes, or until the topping is set and internal temperature reaches 160°F
- 11
Let the cha trung rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing
- 12
Make the Scallion Oil:
- 13
In a small pan over medium-high heat, heat neutral oil. Add chopped green onions (green parts only), then season with salt and MSG. Sauté for 10–15 seconds, then remove from heat and set aside
- 14
Serve:
- 15
Serve warm with rice, topped with scallion oil. Traditional accompaniments also include pickled veggies and nuoc cham. Let it shine as the main dish, or plate it up as part of a classic com tam spread. Enjoy!