Name: Cơm hến Huế (Huế baby clam rice)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 95 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 200 g uncooked jasmine rice (about 600 g cooked); 1.2 L water for cooking the rice, as needed by your rice cooker; 750 ml water for the broth when cooking live clams; for cooked clams, use 500 ml low-sodium clam juice plus 250 ml water; 15 g fresh ginger, lightly crushed and sliced; 2 g fine salt, divided; 250 g cooked, shelled baby clams; or about 1 kg live small clams in shells, scrubbed (yield varies); 20 g shallot, finely minced; 15 ml neutral oil; 15 ml fish sauce; 1 g ground black pepper; 100 g banana blossom, finely shredded; 100 g taro stem (bạc hà), peeled and thinly sliced; 80 g starfruit, thinly sliced and seeded; 60 g mixed Vietnamese herbs, such as mint, Vietnamese coriander and basil, washed and dried; 80 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained; 20 ml lime juice; 40 g roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely crushed; 10 g toasted sesame seeds; 30 g crispy pork crackling, chopped; 20 g crispy fried shallots; 10 g mắm ruốc (fermented shrimp paste); 10 g fresh red chilli, thinly sliced or minced, to taste; 10 ml neutral oil, for finishing the clams

A Huế cơm hến rice bowl with small clams, jasmine rice, fresh herbs, banana blossom, starfruit, crunchy peanuts and pork crackling, with hot clam broth alongside — Huế baby clam rice with fresh herbs, crisp toppings and a separate bowl of ginger clam broth.

Yield 4 servings

Cook time 35 minutes

Passive time 30 minutes

Total time 95 minutes

Calories About 480 kcal per serving

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Cơm hến Huế (Huế baby clam rice)

Cơm hến is a Huế specialty built from contrasts: cool rice, warm baby clams, fresh vegetables and herbs, crunchy toppings, and a small bowl of steaming clam broth. Banana blossom, bạc hà (taro stem), starfruit, peanuts, sesame, pork crackling and fermented shrimp paste are familiar parts of the dish, though the exact selection varies between cooks and stalls.

The bowl is assembled in sections so each diner can mix it to taste. The rice should be cool or just at room temperature when served, but it must be handled safely: spread freshly cooked rice in a shallow layer and chill it promptly if preparing ahead. Never leave it cooling overnight. Cooked, shelled baby clams make this version practical outside Huế; the broth and layered accompaniments keep its regional character.

Practical

Keys to successSpread cooked rice no more than 2.5 cm deep so it cools quickly; refrigerate it as soon as it stops steaming and use within 24 hours. Keep raw shellfish and its juices away from the herbs and ready-to-eat vegetables. Heat cooked clams only until hot so they stay tender. Arrange the components separately and bring the hot broth to the table just before serving.

Ingredients

Rice and clam broth

200 g uncooked jasmine rice (about 600 g cooked)
1.2 L water for cooking the rice, as needed by your rice cooker
750 ml water for the broth when cooking live clams; for cooked clams, use 500 ml low-sodium clam juice plus 250 ml water
15 g fresh ginger, lightly crushed and sliced
2 g fine salt, divided

Clams

250 g cooked, shelled baby clams; or about 1 kg live small clams in shells, scrubbed (yield varies)
20 g shallot, finely minced
15 ml neutral oil
15 ml fish sauce
1 g ground black pepper

Fresh vegetables and herbs

100 g banana blossom, finely shredded
100 g taro stem (bạc hà), peeled and thinly sliced
80 g starfruit, thinly sliced and seeded
60 g mixed Vietnamese herbs, such as mint, Vietnamese coriander and basil, washed and dried
80 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
20 ml lime juice

Crisp toppings and seasoning

40 g roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely crushed
10 g toasted sesame seeds
30 g crispy pork crackling, chopped
20 g crispy fried shallots
10 g mắm ruốc (fermented shrimp paste)
10 g fresh red chilli, thinly sliced or minced, to taste
10 ml neutral oil, for finishing the clams

Method

Cook the rice until tender. Spread it in a clean, shallow tray no deeper than 2.5 cm and cool rapidly. If making it ahead, refrigerate as soon as it stops steaming, ideally within 1 hour; cover once cold and use within 24 hours. For immediate service, cool only until it is no longer steaming and serve within 2 hours of cooking.
If using live clams, keep them cold until cooking. Discard cracked shells and any clams that do not close when tapped. Put the clams, 750 ml water, ginger and half the salt in a covered pot. Bring to a boil and cook until the shells open; discard any that remain closed. Strain and reserve the broth, then remove the clam meat from the shells. If using cooked, shelled clams, simmer 500 ml low-sodium clam juice with 250 ml water, ginger and half the salt for 5 minutes; reserve. Reserve the remaining 1 g salt to season the clams.
Heat 25 ml oil in a pan. Cook the shallot until fragrant, add the clam meat, fish sauce and black pepper, and toss just until hot, about 2 minutes. Avoid prolonged cooking so the clams stay tender. Keep hot for immediate service, or chill promptly in a shallow container and reheat to 74°C throughout before serving.
Toss the shredded banana blossom with lime juice to reduce browning. Arrange the banana blossom, taro stem, starfruit, herbs and bean sprouts on a platter. Keep the raw produce away from raw shellfish and use clean utensils.
Warm the clam broth until steaming. Stir the mắm ruốc into a small ladleful of hot broth until smooth, then return it to the pot. Keep the broth hot. Arrange the peanuts, sesame, crackling, fried shallots and chilli in separate small dishes.
Divide the cool or briefly room-temperature rice among four bowls. Arrange the clams, vegetables and herbs in separate sections on top; add the peanuts, sesame, crackling, fried shallots and chilli. Serve immediately with the steaming clam broth alongside so each diner can mix the bowl to taste.

Practical

Practical tips

Frozen cooked baby clams are a convenient option; thaw them in the refrigerator and drain before cooking. If banana blossom is unavailable, use extra bean sprouts and herbs. The dish remains recognizable, though the texture changes. Keep mắm ruốc and chilli modest at first; they are concentrated and can be added to individual bowls.

Troubleshooting

The rice is sticky: Spread it in a thin layer after cooking and let excess steam escape; avoid stirring it while it cools. The clams are tough: They were cooked too long. Add cooked clams only at the end and toss just until hot. The bowl tastes flat: Taste the broth and adjust carefully with fish sauce, lime or chilli; keep the peanuts and crisp toppings separate until serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use mussels instead of baby clams? You can make a practical seafood variation with chopped cooked mussels, but the flavor and texture differ from Huế hến. Keep the broth and layered toppings, and avoid overcooking the mussels. Can I cook the rice the day before? Yes. Spread it no more than 2.5 cm deep, refrigerate it as soon as it stops steaming (ideally within 1 hour), cover once cold and use within 24 hours. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature overnight. Is the broth poured over the rice? It is commonly served separately, allowing each person to sip it or add a little while eating. Serve it hot in a small bowl alongside the composed rice.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving sizeOne quarter of the rice, clams, vegetables and toppings with broth
Calories480 kcal
Carbohydrate53 g
Protein25 g
Fat16 g
Fibre5 g
Sodium1,250 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains molluscs (clams), fish (fish sauce), crustaceans (mắm ruốc), peanuts, sesame and pork (crackling). Check packaged labels and cross-contact warnings. Buy shellfish from an approved source and keep it refrigerated. Discard cracked clam shells and live clams that do not close when tapped; cook live clams until their shells open and discard any that remain closed. Keep raw shellfish and its juices separate from ready-to-eat produce, and wash hands, boards and utensils after contact. Cooked rice can support Bacillus cereus growth if cooled slowly: spread it promptly in a shallow layer, refrigerate as soon as it stops steaming (ideally within 1 hour), cover once chilled and use within 24 hours. Never cool rice overnight at room temperature. Keep rice at room temperature only briefly and discard it if left out for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate cooked clams and broth within 2 hours at or below 4°C; reheat leftovers once to 74°C throughout. Do not save assembled bowls or dressed herbs.

How to serve

Keep the peanuts, sesame and crackling dry until the last moment for the best crunch.
Offer extra lime and chilli separately so diners can adjust their own bowl.

Cơm hến Huế (Huế baby clam rice)

Practical

Ingredients

Rice and clam broth

Clams

Fresh vegetables and herbs

Crisp toppings and seasoning

Method

Practical

Practical tips

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

How to serve

Vietnamese National Dishes

Nem lụi Huế (grilled lemongrass pork skewers)

Bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo Đà Nẵng (pork rice-paper rolls)

Nem nướng Nha Trang (Nha Trang grilled pork skewers)