Sweet, char-grilled pork skewers marinated in coconut milk and cilantro root, served with a bright ginger-scallion dipping sauce.
Moo ping, the grilled pork skewers sold at Thai breakfast stalls, get their signature sweetness from a marinade of coconut milk, palm sugar, and soy sauce, which caramelizes into sticky, charred edges on the grill. Thin slices of pork shoulder, rather than cubes, are traditional — they cook fast and pick up more surface char relative to their size. A ginger-scallion sauce isn't the classic dip for moo ping (that's usually a sweet chili sauce or a simple sticky rice side), but the combination of hot oil poured over raw ginger and scallion, a technique borrowed from Chinese-Thai kitchens, adds a fresh, pungent counterpoint that cuts through the richness of the pork. The skewers need real heat — a hot charcoal or gas grill, or a screaming-hot grill pan — so the sugar in the marinade caramelizes into char rather than just steaming the meat gray. Basting once with the reserved marinade halfway through grilling builds a second layer of glaze.
Serves 4
Combine coconut milk, palm sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cilantro root, garlic, and white pepper. Toss with pork slices, cover, and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Thread marinated pork slices onto soaked skewers, weaving through each piece so it lies flat.
Heat a grill or grill pan to high. Oil the grates lightly.
Grill skewers 3-4 minutes per side, basting once with leftover marinade, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
Pile ginger and scallion in a heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt and the soy sauce. Heat oil until just smoking and pour over the aromatics; it should sizzle loudly.
Serve skewers hot with the ginger-scallion sauce alongside for dipping.
Slice the pork against the grain into thin strips, about 5mm thick, so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
Marinate overnight if you can — the coconut milk and palm sugar need time to tenderize and flavor the meat fully.
Make sure your oil is truly hot (just short of smoking) before pouring it over the ginger and scallion, or the sauce will taste raw instead of fragrant.
Use chicken thigh instead of pork for a lighter version of the same marinade.
Serve with sticky rice and a Thai sweet chili sauce for the more traditional moo ping plate.
Add a splash of rice vinegar to the ginger-scallion sauce for extra brightness.
Refrigerate cooked skewers up to 3 days; reheat in a hot pan or under the broiler for a couple minutes per side to bring back some char.
Moo ping is a common Thai breakfast and street food, traditionally grilled over charcoal and sold with sticky rice from carts set up along morning commutes across Bangkok.
Yes — broil on a rack set over a tray for 4-5 minutes per side, watching closely since broilers vary and the sugar in the marinade burns fast.
Use the lower, thicker part of cilantro stems instead — the flavor is close, just slightly milder.
Your grill likely isn't hot enough — the palm sugar needs high, direct heat to caramelize; a lukewarm grill will just steam the pork gray.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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