Choose a well-marbled cut of pork for moo ping, as the fat keeps the meat juicy during the high-heat cooking process. Slice it thinly against the grain to keep the skewers tender and to help the marinade to penetrate the meat.
We’ve recommended marinating for two hours in the recipe above, but if you can leave it to rest overnight, the final dish will be even more flavourful. Don’t overcrowd the pork skewers when folding the meat onto them, and look for caramelisation, not burning.
Breakfast on a stick
Moo ping is often served for a Thai street-food breakfast, as it’s portable, filling and quick to eat. Street vendors will grill the skewers continuously so customers can pick them up quickly on the way to work or school. Thai street food doesn’t always divide neatly into breakfast, lunch and dinner, but dishes are instead eaten when available.
The marinade: coconut milk and palm sugar
Coconut milk has two main purposes in the marinade; it adds richness to the flavour and helps keep the pork moist while cooking. Palm sugar offers sweetness and colour as it caramelises over charcoal, creating the signature dark, sticky edges of moo ping.
The marinade isn’t intended to simply make the pork sweet, but instead offers a balance between salty, sweet, aromatic and smoky notes, with the fish sauce and soy sauce adding the saltiness and savouriness to balance the sweetness of the coconut milk and palm sugar.
Coriander root, the ingredient you cannot skip
Coriander root is famed in Thai cooking for its concentrated aromatic flavour and forms part of the classic Thai cuisine combination of coriander root, garlic and white pepper found in moo ping. The root is very powerful, so you only need a small amount to give the pork a savoury, herbal depth.
Charcoal, grill pan or oven
Charcoal grilling is a popular choice for moo ping, as it creates the characteristic smoky, charred edges. A grill pan is the easiest alternative when cooking moo ping indoors and gives the meat caramelisation and grill marks, though it creates less smoke.
An oven grill can work for larger quantities, and it’s best to place the skewers on a wire rack so the heat and air circulate around the meat. Turn the skewers regularly and check that the pork is fully cooked through before serving.
What to serve with moo ping
Sticky rice is a common accompaniment to moo ping as a chewy contrast to the sweet and savoury pork. A simple Thai dipping sauce can add extra chilli, lime, fish sauce and sweetness to the plate. Or opt for a satay sauce for a modern pairing where the creamy, nutty quality of the sauce balances the sweet, salty, fatty pork.
