Vietnamese National Dishes

Cơm nị cà púa (An Giang Cham rice and beef coconut curry)

Name: Cơm nị cà púa (An Giang Cham rice and beef coconut curry)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 135 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 300 g long-grain white rice; 30 g unsalted butter; 1 cinnamon stick, about 4 g; 1 g whole cloves; 5 g mild curry powder; 2 g annatto powder; 4 g fine salt; 8 g granulated sugar; 280 ml water; 130 ml full-fat coconut milk; 50 ml whole milk; 40 g raisins; 500 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes; 15 ml neutral vegetable oil; 150 g yellow onion, thinly sliced; 20 g fresh ginger, finely grated; 15 g garlic, finely chopped; 30 g tender lower lemongrass stalks, bruised and tied; 15 g mild curry powder; 1 g crushed red chilli (optional; omit for a mild curry); 5 g fine salt; 8 g granulated sugar; 15 ml light soy sauce; 400 ml full-fat coconut milk; 250 ml water, plus a little more if needed; 40 g unsweetened finely grated coconut; 40 g dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped; 20 g fried shallots

Cơm nị cà púa brings two preparations to the same plate: fragrant, lightly spiced rice and a slow coconut-braised beef curry. In this An Giang home version, long-grain rice is toasted with butter, cinnamon and cloves, then finished with coconut milk, a little whole milk and raisins. The curry takes its richness from beef, ginger, lemongrass, coconut milk and toasted coconut, with peanuts and fried shallots on top. Local households use different meats and proportions; this is one measured version of the regional pairing.

Vietnamese National Dishes

Wide view of cơm nị rice and beef cà púa curry served separately on a wooden table. — Cơm nị cà púa pairs fragrant spiced rice with coconut-braised beef curry.

Yield 4 servings

Cook time 1 hour 40 minutes

Passive time none

Total time 2 hours 15 minutes

Calories per serving about 1,080 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Cơm nị cà púa (An Giang Cham rice and beef coconut curry)

Practical

Tips for successDrain the rinsed rice well before toasting so it fries in the butter instead of steaming. Add the coconut milk and whole milk only after most of the water has been absorbed; adding them at the start can scorch the rice. Keep the beef at a gentle simmer and stir every 20 minutes. Add a splash of water if the sauce thickens before the meat is tender. Toast the grated coconut slowly over medium-low heat; it can go from golden to burnt quickly.

Ingredients

Cơm nị rice

300 g long-grain white rice
30 g unsalted butter
1 cinnamon stick, about 4 g
1 g whole cloves
5 g mild curry powder
2 g annatto powder
4 g fine salt
8 g granulated sugar
280 ml water
130 ml full-fat coconut milk
50 ml whole milk
40 g raisins

Beef cà púa

500 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes
15 ml neutral vegetable oil
150 g yellow onion, thinly sliced
20 g fresh ginger, finely grated
15 g garlic, finely chopped
30 g tender lower lemongrass stalks, bruised and tied
15 g mild curry powder
1 g crushed red chilli (optional; omit for a mild curry)
5 g fine salt
8 g granulated sugar
15 ml light soy sauce
400 ml full-fat coconut milk
250 ml water, plus a little more if needed
40 g unsweetened finely grated coconut
40 g dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
20 g fried shallots

Method

Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear, drain it well for 10 minutes and pat the beef dry. Keep raw beef and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Toast the grated coconut in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and golden. Transfer it to a plate and reserve.
Heat the oil in a heavy lidded pot. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the beef, 15 g curry powder, chilli if using, salt and sugar; stir for 2 minutes to coat and lightly brown the meat.
Add the soy sauce, 400 ml coconut milk, 250 ml water and bruised lemongrass. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 85–95 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick. The beef should be fork-tender; each piece must also reach at least 63°C and rest for 3 minutes as a minimum safety control. Remove the lemongrass and stir half the toasted coconut into the curry.
When the curry has about 30 minutes left, melt the butter in a lidded saucepan. Add the cinnamon and cloves and stir for 30 seconds. Add the drained rice and toast gently for 2 minutes. Stir in 5 g curry powder, annatto, 4 g salt and 8 g sugar, then add 280 ml water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed and the grains are nearly tender.
Gently pour 130 ml coconut milk and the whole milk over the nearly cooked rice. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 6–8 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Avoid vigorous stirring. Fold in the raisins, cover and leave off the heat for 5 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and remove the cinnamon and cloves if you find them. Spoon the rice onto four plates and serve the beef curry beside it or over part of the rice. Finish with the peanuts, fried shallots and remaining toasted coconut.
Refrigerate rice and curry separately in shallow containers within 2 hours at or below 4°C; use within 3 days. Reheat until every part reaches 74°C, adding a splash of water to loosen the curry.

Practical

Practical guidance

The rice is ready when the grains are tender but still separate; give it a few extra minutes on very low heat with a tablespoon of water if the centre is firm. The beef braise can be made a day ahead and reheated gently. Keep the rice and curry separate for storage so the grains do not absorb all the sauce. Check curry powder and soy sauce labels for wheat and other allergens.

Troubleshooting

The rice is scorched: keep the heat very low after adding the dairy, and avoid scraping a browned layer into the pot. The rice is firm in the centre: sprinkle in 15 ml water, cover and cook for 3–4 more minutes. The beef is still chewy: continue the covered simmer in 10-minute increments; chuck needs time for its connective tissue to soften. The curry sauce is too thick: stir in hot water a tablespoon at a time; if it is thin, simmer uncovered briefly before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use goat instead of beef? Goat is also reported in regional versions, but its cooking time may differ. Use a suitable stewing cut and braise until fork-tender, checking it with a thermometer. Can I replace the whole milk in the rice with more coconut milk? Yes. Use 180 ml coconut milk instead of 130 ml coconut milk plus 50 ml whole milk. The butter remains dairy, so this substitution does not make the recipe dairy-free.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving sizeone quarter of the rice and curry, approximately 650 g
Caloriesabout 1,080 kcal
Carbohydrate82 g
Protein39 g
Fat68 g
Fibre6 g
Sodiumabout 1,050 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk, peanuts and soy. Light soy sauce may contain wheat; check labels and cross-contact statements for all packaged ingredients. Keep raw beef at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook the beef pieces to at least 63°C and rest for 3 minutes, then continue braising until fork-tender. Refrigerate rice and curry separately within 2 hours at or below 4°C, use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C.

To finish

Serve the coconut-rich beef curry next to the golden rice so both textures and flavours remain distinct.
Add peanuts, fried shallots and toasted coconut just before serving for a crisp finish.

Cơm nị cà púa (An Giang Cham rice and beef coconut curry)

Practical

Ingredients

Cơm nị rice

Beef cà púa

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

To finish

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