Mu Nam Tok

Mu Nam Tok (Thai Pork Rice-Herb Salad)

A classic Thai Isaan-style larb made with grilled pork, toasted rice powder, and a generous tumble of fresh herbs. Served at room temperature with sticky rice and raw vegetables, it is bright, smoky, and deeply savoury.

Prep

25 min

Cook

15 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pork shoulder or neck fillet, sliced roughly 1 cm thick, with some fat for flavour
• •60 g (¼ cup) uncooked Thai sticky rice (khao niao), dry-toasted and ground into coarse powder (khao khua); substitute with toasted jasmine rice if sticky rice is unavailable
• •30 g (1 oz) fresh coriander leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• •30 g (1 oz) fresh mint leaves, torn, not chopped finely
• •20 g (¾ oz) fresh Thai basil leaves, optional but traditional
• •4 g (1 tbsp) fresh birds eye chillies, thinly sliced; adjust to taste, keep seeds for more heat
• •60 g (½ cup) shallots, thinly sliced, ideally Thai shallots
• •15 g (2 tbsp) spring onions, sliced into 3 cm pieces
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fish sauce, real Thai brand preferred
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lime juice, about 2 limes
• •5 g (1 tsp) palm sugar, finely chopped; substitutes soft brown sugar
• •15 g (1 tbsp) toasted rice powder (khao khua), made from the dry-toasted sticky rice above
• •60 ml (¼ cup) pork or chicken stock, for basting and tossing the warm pork
• •400 g (14 oz) cooked sticky rice, to serve, alongside Thai-style raw vegetables such as cabbage wedges, long beans, cucumber, and Thai basil
• •10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil, for grilling the pork

Steps

1. 1 Make khao khua: place the 60 g raw sticky rice in a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast, stirring constantly, until grains are deep golden brown and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Take care not to burn; the aroma should be nutty, not acrid. Grind to a coarse powder in a mortar or spice grinder and set aside.
2. 2 Prepare the charcoal or grill for high direct heat. Pat the pork dry, brush lightly with oil, and grill until well-charred on the outside and just cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per side. Internal temperature should reach 71 °C (160 °F) on an instant-read thermometer; do not overcook, as the meat will be tossed warm. Rest 2 minutes, then slice across the grain into bite-sized pieces.
3. 3 In a small bowl, stir together fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar until the sugar dissolves. Taste; the dressing should be sharply salty-sour with a faint sweetness.
4. 4 In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm sliced pork with the warm stock, sliced shallots, chillies, and spring onions. Toss gently so the aromatics soften slightly from the residual heat.
5. 5 Add the toasted rice powder and pour the dressing over the pork. Toss again to coat evenly.
6. 6 Add the coriander, mint, and Thai basil. Toss once more, taking care not to bruise the leaves. The salad should smell smoky, herbal, and aromatic.
7. 7 Serve immediately or within 30 minutes at room temperature, accompanied by a basket of warm sticky rice and platters of raw cabbage, long beans, cucumber, and fresh herbs.