Moo Ping

Moo ping is skewered pork marinated in coconut milk, coriander root and palm sugar, grilled over charcoal until caramelised. It is Thailand's everyday breakfast skewer, sold from carts with a small charcoal grill balanced on the back from early morning onward.

What it really is

Thin slices of pork marinate for hours in coconut milk, palm sugar, fish sauce and pounded coriander root, a combination that tenderises the meat while building a sweet, savoury base underneath. Threaded onto bamboo skewers and grilled directly over charcoal, the sugar in the marinade caramelises against the heat, charring at the edges while the coconut milk keeps the meat from drying out over the open flame.

Coriander root, not the leaf, goes into the marinade. The root carries a deeper, earthier flavour than the leaves most cooks discard, and pounding it into the marinade is a small but genuine difference between a properly made moo ping and a plain grilled pork skewer.

How it is served

• On the skewer, straight off the grill.
• With sticky rice, the classic pairing sold alongside it.
• As a breakfast or all-day snack, bought by the skewer rather than plated as a course.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the fish sauce.
• Say how many skewers come per portion, since moo ping is sold and eaten by the piece.
• Note if it's grilled over charcoal specifically, since that smoky char is a real part of what makes it moo ping rather than any other grilled pork.