Kao Ka Moo (Five-Spice Braised Pork)
Kao Ka Moo is one of those dishes that reminds me of home — the kind of comforting street food you find bubbling away at Thai market stalls, where long lines are a sure sign of something special. Pork leg or shoulder braises for hours in a fragrant bath of soy sauce, five-spice, garlic, and palm sugar until it’s fall-apart tender and glossy. It’s traditionally served over jasmine rice with blanched greens and a fiery, garlicky dipping sauce that cuts through the richness.
Perfect for gatherings, Kao Ka Moo feels indulgent yet unfussy — one big pot of slow-braised comfort that fills the kitchen with the mouthwatering scents of caramelizing palm sugar, simmering soy, and spice.
Kao Ka Moo is one of those dishes that reminds me of home — the kind of comforting street food you find bubbling away at Thai market stalls, where long lines are a sure sign of something special. Pork leg or shoulder braises for hours in a fragrant bath of soy sauce, five-spice, garlic, and palm sugar until it’s fall-apart tender and glossy. It’s traditionally served over jasmine rice with blanched greens and a fiery, garlicky dipping sauce that cuts through the richness.
Perfect for gatherings, Kao Ka Moo feels indulgent yet unfussy — one big pot of slow-braised comfort that fills the kitchen with the mouthwatering scents of caramelizing palm sugar, simmering soy, and spice.
Thai • Main Dishes • Nut-Free · Dairy-Free · Fish-Free · Sesame-Free · Shellfish-Free
Colors:
Tastes:
🍋🧂🍬🍵🌶️
Techniques:
🥒💧
Rating:
Yield: 2½ lbs Cooked pork · 3 Broth
Serves: 6 (~5 oz pork + ~1/2 cup broth)
Time: Active 35m · Inactive 5h 25m · Total 6h
Equipment: No equipment specified
Ingredients
2 Hot Peppers (Serrano Peppers), minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
⅓ cup Vinegar
2 tsp Fish Sauce
1 tsp cilantro stems (the light part near the roots)
3½ lbs Pork (Pork Leg) (bone-in, skin-on)
7 cups Water
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
3 cilantro roots (or 8 cilantro stems)
1 Tbsp Black Peppercorn, cracked
2 Cinnamon
¼ cup Thai dark soy sauce
¼ cup Thai light soy sauce
½ cup Fish Sauce
⅓ cup Palm Sugar
4 cups Broccoli (Chinese Broccoli), blanched & chopped
3 cups Rice (Jasmine Rice)
4½ cups Water
6 Large Eggs (Hard-Boiled & Halved)
Pickled Chinese Cabbage or other pickled greens [See sub recipe]
Sourcing Tips
- Palm Sugar: Sub light brown sugar or turbinado if needed, but palm sugar gives a more rounded, caramel note.
- Greens: Chinese broccoli, kale, or collard greens all work.
- Cilantro Roots: It’s common in Thai cooking to use the roots of the cilantro plant for sauces and marinades. If you grow your own, just pull them up and rinse well. Or visit Mueller Farmers Market, where Will Vermillion often sells cilantro with the roots still on — perfect for Thai recipes like this.
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine chilies, garlic, vinegar, fish sauce, and minced cilantro stems.
Let sit for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld.
Chef Tip: This sauce gets better as it sits — make it a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a large stockpot, combine pork, water, garlic, cilantro roots, black pepper, star anise, cinnamon, dark soy, light soy, fish sauce, and palm sugar.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover partially.
Simmer gently until the pork is tender enough to pull apart with a spoon — at least 4 hours, up to 6 for maximum tenderness.
Turn the pork occasionally so it cooks evenly.
While the pork is cooking, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add chopped Chinese broccoli or seasonal greens and cook for 2–3 minutes, until bright green and tender but still crisp.
Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well, lay on a towel lined tray and hold room temp up to 2 hours or refrigerated up to 24 hours.
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear.
Add 3 cups rice and 4½ cups water to a medium pot — the mixture should fill no more than halfway up the pot so it has room to expand.
Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to low. Cover and cook 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Carefully lift the pork from the pot and let cool slightly.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids.
Keep the broth warm for serving.
Slice or shred the pork into bite-sized pieces.
Serve over jasmine rice with a ladle of warm broth.
Add blanched greens, a halved hard-boiled egg, and a spoonful of pickled greens.
Finish with a drizzle of the spicy garlic sauce to taste.
Chef Tip: Don’t skip the sauce — it balances the dish’s richness and makes every bite sing.
Serving & Keeping
Serve: Hot
Make ahead: You can make the spicy garlic sauce a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sourcing Tips
- Palm Sugar: Sub light brown sugar or turbinado if needed, but palm sugar gives a more rounded, caramel note.
- Greens: Chinese broccoli, kale, or collard greens all work.
- Cilantro Roots: It’s common in Thai cooking to use the roots of the cilantro plant for sauces and marinades. If you grow your own, just pull them up and rinse well. Or visit Mueller Farmers Market, where Will Vermillion often sells cilantro with the roots still on — perfect for Thai recipes like this.
Serving & Keeping
Serve: Hot
Make ahead: You can make the spicy garlic sauce a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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