Thai Grilled Pork Jowl (Kao Moo Yang) 泰式豬頸肉

Thai Grilled Pork Jowl, or Kao Moo Yang, features tender and succulent pork jowl marinated in a savory blend of fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and spices, then grilled to perfection. It's often served with a spicy dipping sauce and sticky rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 500g pork jowl, sliced 1-inch thick
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp palm sugar, grated (or brown sugar, for marinade)
• 1/2 tsp white pepper (for marinade)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (for marinade)
• 2 coriander roots, finely chopped (or lower stems, for marinade)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for marinade)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce (for dipping sauce)
• 3 tbsp lime juice (for dipping sauce)
• 1 tsp palm sugar, grated (for dipping sauce)
• 1 tbsp roasted glutinous rice powder (Khao Khua)
• 1 tsp chili flakes (or 2-3 fresh bird's eye chilies, sliced)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped (optional)

Steps

1. Slice the pork jowl into 1-inch thick pieces. In a bowl, combine pork jowl with fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar, white pepper, minced garlic, chopped coriander roots, and vegetable oil. Mix well to coat.
2. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or preferably 2-4 hours for best flavor.
3. While the pork marinates, prepare the dipping sauce. In a separate bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, roasted glutinous rice powder, chili flakes, sliced shallots, chopped cilantro, and chopped mint leaves (if using). Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the marinated pork jowl for 4-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through and nicely charred, turning occasionally.
5. Remove the grilled pork jowl from the heat and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Then slice it against the grain into thinner pieces. Serve immediately with the prepared dipping sauce and sticky rice.

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