Vietnamese
Cháo lòng
A comforting Vietnamese rice porridge simmered in pork bone broth and served with tender slices of pork offal, blood cubes, herbs, pepper, and ginger. It is warming, savory, and traditionally finished with rau răm, scallions, and a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
- Jasmine rice1/2 cup
- Glutinous rice1 tbsp
- Pork bones500g
- Pork liver120g
- Pork heart100g
- Pork stomach or small intestine150g
- Cooked pork blood cubes150g
- Yellow onion1 small, halved
- Fresh ginger40g, smashed
- Salt2 tsp, divided
- White vinegar2 tbsp
- Fish sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- Rock sugar or sugar1 tsp
- Ground white pepper1 tsp
- Scallions2, thinly sliced
- Cilantro1/4 cup chopped
- Rau răm1/4 cup leaves
- Fried shallots2 tbsp
- Lime wedges2
- Fresh red chili or chili sauceto serve
- Water2 liters
Method
- Rub the pork stomach or intestine thoroughly with 1 teaspoon salt and the vinegar, rinse well, then rub again with a little smashed ginger and rinse until clean.
- Blanch the pork bones in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, rinse away scum, and wash the pot.
- Add the cleaned bones, onion, half the ginger, and 2 liters water to the pot, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 1 hour, skimming as needed.
- Toast the jasmine rice and glutinous rice in a dry pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly fragrant but not browned.
- Strain the broth, discard the bones and onion, and return the broth to the pot.
- Add the toasted rice to the broth and simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring often, until the grains break down into a thick porridge.
- While the porridge cooks, bring a separate pot of water to a boil with the remaining ginger and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Boil the pork heart for about 18 minutes and the cleaned stomach or intestine for 25 to 35 minutes until tender, then transfer to cold water to keep them firm.
- Boil the pork liver separately for 6 to 8 minutes until just cooked, then transfer to cold water so it stays smooth and does not become dry.
- Slice the heart, liver, and stomach or intestine thinly across the grain.
- Add the cooked pork blood cubes to the porridge and simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
- Season the porridge with fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper, adjusting with salt if needed.
- Ladle the hot porridge into bowls and top with sliced offal, scallions, cilantro, rau răm, fried shallots, and extra white pepper.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges and fresh chili or chili sauce on the side.
Common questions
Can I substitute the pork stomach or intestine with something else if I can’t find it?
Yes. Use pork tripe, more heart, or extra liver for a similar mixed-offal bowl. Texture changes, but the broth and porridge still work. Avoid chicken or beef offal; the flavor becomes noticeably different.
How long does the broth and porridge actually take, and can I speed it up?
Plan about 2 to 2.5 hours total. The broth needs about 1 hour, then the rice porridge 45 to 60 minutes. You can speed it up slightly with a pressure cooker for the bones, but not for the rice stage.
What are the most common mistakes when making cháo lòng?
The biggest mistakes are not cleaning the intestines well, boiling the broth too hard, and not stirring the porridge enough. Hard boiling makes the broth cloudy, and neglected stirring causes the rice to stick or scorch.
How should I store leftovers, and how long do they keep?
Store porridge and offal separately if possible. Refrigerate within 2 hours in covered containers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a little water, since the porridge thickens a lot overnight and the offal toughens if overcooked.
What’s the best way to serve it for the right texture and flavor?
Serve hot with extra white pepper, fish sauce, and sliced ginger if you like. Keep the porridge loose, not paste-thick. Add the sliced offal and blood cubes right before serving so they stay tender and warm.