[1][2] Although there are varied names like cơm tấm Sài Gòn (Saigonese broken rice), particularly for Saigon,[1] the main ingredients remain the same for most cases.

In its early days, Com Tam was a popular dish among poor rice farmers in the Mekong Delta due to their economic circumstances.

[4] Broken rice was used solely because it was readily available in the farmers' houses and could fill their stomachs for a long time.

[5][4][6] When Saigon was bustling with many people from many countries around the world, food sellers adapted Com Tam to be more suitable for foreign customers like the French, American, Chinese, and Indian.

[19][20] Com Tam is one of 10 Vietnamese dishes recognized by the Asia Record Organisation (ARO) for their important culinary value to the international community.