Grilled pork skewers (moo ping)

The pork is marinated in aromatic spices and barbecued over charcoal before being served hot, usually with sticky rice.

Credit: Alana Dimou

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Don’t be tempted to substitute the fattier pork loin for another cut, as the juicy tenderness of the loin is the best part of moo ping.

Ingredients

• 40 g (1½ oz) garlic cloves, peeled
• 20 g (¾ oz) coriander (cilantro) roots, scraped clean
• 5 g (¼ oz) whole white peppercorns
• 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) pork loin, cut into 5-mm (¼-in) slices
• 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) evaporated milk
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) coconut milk
• 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) soy sauce
• ½ tsp dark soy sauce
• 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) Maggi seasoning
• 70 ml (2¼ fl oz) grapeseed oil
• cooked sticky rice, to serve

Marinating time: 3 hours-overnight

Instructions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, coriander roots and white peppercorns into a paste. Transfer the paste to a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients except the sticky rice, mixing well to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
2. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 2 hours before cooking to prevent them from burning.
3. Thread 4–6 slices of marinated pork onto each skewer. Reserve the marinade for grilling.
4. Using a charcoal barbecue (grill), cook the pork skewers over low heat, frequently brushing both sides with the marinade, for 10–15 minutes, until the pork is cooked. Alternatively, if you don’t have a charcoal barbecue, you can cook the skewers on a gas barbecue or in a chargrill pan or non-stick frying pan on your stovetop.
5. Serve hot with cooked sticky rice.

 

Recipe and images from Bangkok Local by Sareen Rojanametin and Jean Thamthanakorn, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Don’t be tempted to substitute the fattier pork loin for another cut, as the juicy tenderness of the loin is the best part of moo ping.