Mu ping (marinated and grilled pork on a stick)

Mu ping or Moo ping (หมูปิ้ง) is an Isaan street dish. Mu ping is Thai-style grilled pork on a skewer that is marinated with coriander, peppers and garlic. The meat is then grilled over charcoal. Mu ping has many different recipes, each with a different marinade. Coconut milk is essential because it tenderizes the pork.

Mu ping, or Thai grilled pork skewers, is a beloved street snack in Thailand that gained popularity in 1952 with the advent of food carts that were converted into street vendor carts. These tasty skewers can be found on the streets of Thailand and are suitable for any time of the day, from breakfast to dinner. Preparing mu ping requires attention to detail, from the marinade to the way the pork is threaded onto the skewers. The best choice for the meat is pork shoulder or pork neck, due to the optimal ratio of lean meat, fat and muscle, which is essential for the juiciness and flavor of the skewers. An important part of the recipe is also how the meat is threaded onto the bamboo skewers; the meat should be cut into small pieces and placed closely together on the skewer to prevent drying out and maintain juiciness during grilling.

The marinade for mu ping is crucial and varies from vendor to vendor, but typical ingredients include coriander roots, garlic, white peppercorns, palm sugar, fish sauce, light/thin soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sometimes baking powder as a tenderizer. This is all mashed up and mixed with the pork, which is then marinated for several hours to allow the flavors to infuse. During grilling, the meat is sometimes brushed with coconut milk to keep it moist and promote caramelization. Mu ping is traditionally served with sticky rice and sometimes with a dipping sauce, although the meat itself is tasty enough to be eaten without sauce.

Mu ping is served with sticky rice and nam chim chaeo. Nam chim chaeo or (nam jim jeaw, Thai; แจ่ว) is a spicy sauce that goes with grilled meat and consists of dried chillies, lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar and toasted glutinous rice. The sauce is characterized by its complex combination of spicy, sour and sweet flavors, as well as its liquid and slightly sticky texture.

Mu ping is convenient for breakfast or as a snack as it is easy to find on the street and dirt cheap.

Nam chim chaeo or (nam jim jeaw, Thai; แจ่ว) Thai spicy dipping sauce

Make it yourself

For an authentic recipe of Mu ping, or Thai grilled pork skewers, for 4 people, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients

• Pork: 900 grams pork shoulder or neck, thinly sliced.
• marinade:
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped coriander roots or stems.
  • 7 large cloves garlic, peeled.
  • 1 tablespoon white peppercorns.
  • 130 grams palm sugar, finely grated or melted.
  • 3 tablespoons of fish sauce.
  • 2 tablespoons thin/light soy sauce.
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce.
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional, as tenderizer).
• Extra:
  • About ¾ cup of coconut milk to baste the pork while grilling.
• Before serving:
  • Sticky rice and/or Thai papaya salad (Som Tam), optional.
• You need:
  • Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 2-3 hours.

Preparation method

1. Preparing marinade: Make a paste by mashing together the coriander roots or stems, garlic and white peppercorns. Mix this paste in a large bowl with the pork, palm sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and baking powder. Make sure the meat is well covered with the marinade. Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
2. Making skewers: Thread the marinated pork onto the soaked bamboo skewers. Make sure that the pieces of meat are placed close together to prevent them from drying out during grilling.
3. Grilling: Grill the skewers over medium-hot coals until they have slightly charred edges on the outside and are cooked through on the inside. During the first part of grilling, brush the coconut milk over the meat to keep it juicy. Once the outside chars slightly, stop spreading the coconut milk.
4. To serve: Serve the mu ping warm with sticky rice and possibly Thai papaya salad (Som Tam) for a complete meal.