Charcoal-grilled pork skewers marinated in coconut milk, garlic, coriander root and palm sugar until caramelized at the edges and juicy within. Sold from dawn carts across Thailand and eaten with a packet of warm sticky rice, it is the country's quintessential grab-and-go breakfast.
A Thai-Chinese street staple sold from charcoal carts nationwide since the mid-20th century.
The first bite is sweet-and-smoky, the coconut-and-palm-sugar glaze giving way to tender pork with charred, slightly chewy edges. Torn off the skewer and pressed into a ball of warm sticky rice, it's salty, sweet and faintly grassy from the coriander root all at once.
Coconut fat coats the lean pork and the palm sugar drives Maillard browning and caramelization over charcoal, giving sweet-smoky char without drying the thin slices. An overnight marinade lets salt and aromatics penetrate the meat fully.
Variations
Chicken (gai ping), more peppery marinades, with sweet chili or jaew dipping sauce, served in a roll as a sandwich
On the Palate
Where Moo Ping sits in the Thai flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 30 min
- 18 min
Pound garlic, coriander root, white pepper and a pinch of salt into a paste.
- 23 min
Whisk the paste with coconut milk, fish sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar and a splash of soy.
- 36 min
Slice pork shoulder thinly across the grain and toss in the marinade.
Watch outSlice the pork thin and against the grain — thick or with-grain slices turn chewy over the coals.
- 4240 min
Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, for the flavors to soak in.
Watch outGive it at least 4 hours, overnight is better — the salt and aromatics need time to reach the middle of each slice.
- 55 min
Thread the pork loosely onto soaked bamboo skewers so it cooks evenly.
- 610 min
Grill over medium charcoal, basting with leftover coconut milk, turning often.
Watch outBaste with the leftover coconut milk and turn often — the coconut fat keeps the thin slices from drying while the sugar chars.
- 74 min
Cook until edges caramelize and char lightly but the meat stays juicy.
Watch outPull it the moment the edges catch a light char but the center still gives — a beat too long and thin pork goes dry.
- 82 min
Serve hot with warm sticky rice and a tart dipping sauce.
