Moo Kratiem- Thai Garlic Pork
Moo Kratiem is a Thai stir fry with sliced pork and topped with crispy fried garlic for a comforting dish that’s loaded with flavor.
If you enjoy eating garlic, then you will love Moo Kratiem. The Pork is tender and cooked in a savory sauce along with a homemade crispy garlic topping.
This dish is not spicy like Thai Basil Pork, instead, it has a mellow spice from the peppercorns.
Ingredients
The ingredients to make Moo Kratiem are easy to find, you don’t need to go to an Asian market for them.
- Garlic Cloves
- Pork
- Cilantro Stems
- Soy Sauce
- Sugar
- Whole Peppercorns
Substitutions
There are a few substitutions you can make for this dish, however, garlic and cilantro are necessary.
- Pork- I used pork shoulder, but you can use pork loin or tenderloin for a leaner option. Chicken breast or thighs can also be substituted.
- Soy Sauce- Substitute coconut aminos, liquid aminos, or tamari.
- Sugar- Substitute coconut sugar
- Whole peppercorns- If you don’t have a mortar or molcajete, use ground black or white pepper.
How to Make the Crispy Garlic
Place 15 or more garlic cloves in a food chopper or mini food processor. Pulse lightly to prevent the garlic from getting too fine.
Heat a non-stick skillet with oil over medium-low heat. Add chopped garlic and stir continuously until the garlic develops some color. Don’t step away from the pan, the garlic can burn quickly.
Once the garlic develops a golden color, drain it using a strainer under a cup or bowl. Save the oil, this is a garlic-infused oil.
How to Make the Paste
The aromatics need to be pounded to form a paste. This is traditionally done using a mortar and pestle. Which is similar to a molcajete.
If you don’t have either, then use a food chopper to pulse the cilantro stems and garlic. You can use ground black or white pepper to make it easier to pulse.
For the mortar method, add garlic, cilantro stems, and whole peppercorns. Pound all the ingredients together until a paste forms. Set aside until you start cooking the pork.
How to Cook the Pork
In a medium bowl, add sliced pork 1 tablespoon of garlic oil, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and soy sauce. This can also be done ahead of time and kept overnight in the refrigerator.
Add a tablespoon of garlic oil to the same pan you cooked the garlic in. Over medium-high heat, add the pork and cook until halfway done.
Add the paste to the pork and stir to combine. Then add oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce.
In the mortar add a quarter cup of water and swish it around to get all the leftover bits. Pour that into the pan with the pork.
Once the pork is fully cooked, taste to see if additional seasoning is needed. Add pork to a serving plate and top with the crispy fried garlic.
Serving and Storing
Garnish the Moo Kratiem with some cilantro stems and serve with Jasmine rice. You can also serve with a side of steamed broccoli or another vegetable.
Leftover moo kratiem can be stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. This makes a great meal prep option, portion out rice and the pork in containers and reheat in the microwave.
Moo Kratiem- Thai Garlic Pork Recipe
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Equipment
- mortar and pestle or Molcajete
Ingredients
Fried Garlic
- ¼ cup Oil (neutral oil like avocado or canola)
- 15 Garlic Cloves
Paste
- 5 Garlic Cloves
- 10 Cilantro Stems
- 1 teaspoon Whole Peppercorns (Black or White) see notes below
- ¼ cup Water
Pork Marinade
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
Instructions
Fried Garlic
- Place 15 or more garlic cloves in a food chopper or mini food processor. Pulse lightly to prevent the garlic from getting too fine.
- Heat a non-stick skillet with oil over medium-low heat. Add chopped garlic and stir continuously until the garlic develops some color. Don't step away from the pan, the garlic can burn quickly. Once the garlic develops a golden color, drain it using a strainer under a cup or bowl. Save the oil, this is a garlic-infused oil.
Paste
- For the mortar method, add garlic, cilantro stems, and whole peppercorns. Pound all the ingredients together until a paste forms. Set aside until you start cooking the pork.
- If you don't have a mortar or molcajete, then place the ingredients in a food chopper and pulse. You can add a splash of water to get things going, if needed.
Pork Marinade
- In a medium bowl, add sliced pork 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. This can also be done ahead of time and kept overnight in the refrigerator.
Cooking the Pork
- Add a tablespoon of garlic oil to the same pan you cooked the garlic in. Over medium-high heat, add the pork and cook until halfway done.
- Add the paste to the pork and stir to combine. Then add oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce.
- In the mortar add a quarter cup of water and swish it around to get all the leftover bits. Pour that into the pan with the pork.
- Once the pork is fully cooked, taste to see if additional seasoning is needed. Add pork to a serving plate and top with the crispy fried garlic.
- Garnish the Moo Kratiem with some cilantro stems and serve with Jasmine rice. You can also serve with a side of steamed broccoli or another vegetable.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
