Khao Kha Moo (ข้าวขาหมู) is a classic of Thai street food. Pork leg is slowly braised in a fragrant broth with soy sauces, palm sugar, cinnamon, star anise and aromatics until exceptionally tender.
The dish is served over jasmine rice with an egg, green vegetables and often pickled mustard greens. A chilli and vinegar dipping sauce is served on the side to add freshness and heat.
At the table with Portail Asie
Traditional Khao Kha Moo
Make traditional Khao Kha Moo, Thai braised pork leg slowly cooked with soy sauces and spices, then served with jasmine rice, egg and greens.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cooking time
- 180 min
- Total time
- 210 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice level
- 0/5
- Cuisine
- Thailand
- Dish type
- Main dish
Last checked: September 25, 2026
About this recipe
Version: Traditional
Khao Kha Moo is a classic Thai street-food dish with Chinese-Thai influences. The pork is slowly braised in a mixture of soy sauces, sugar and spices, then served with jasmine rice, an egg, green vegetables and often pickled mustard greens.
Do not substitute: Avoid rapid cooking: the characteristic texture depends on long, gentle braising. Do not completely omit the black soy sauce or the braising spices, as they give the sauce its characteristic colour and aromatic profile.
Ingredients
Adjust servings to suit your needs.
For the braised pork
- 1.2 kg Pork leg with skinwhole or cut into large pieces
- 1 tbsp Neutral oilfor searing the pork
- 5 cloves Garliccrushed
- 8 stems Corianderroots if available, otherwise stems
- 75 g Palm sugarchopped
- 4 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Black soy sauceor dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Golden Mountain seasoning sauceor 1 additional tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 sticks Cinnamon
- 2 Star anise
- 1 tsp Sichuan pepper
- ½ tsp White peppercoarsely crushed
- 8 slices Galangal
- 4 Dried shiitake mushroomsrehydrated
- 1.5 to 2 l Waterjust enough to cover the pork
To serve
- 280 g Thai jasmine riceuncooked
- 4 Eggscooked and peeled
- 200 g Chinese broccoli (gai lan)or another leafy green vegetable
- 150 g Pickled mustard greensdrained and sliced
- 2 tbsp Coriander leavesfor serving
For the chilli vinegar sauce
- 2 Fresh red chilliessliced
- 2 cloves Garlicchopped
- 80 ml White vinegar or rice vinegar
- ½ tsp Sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
Preparation steps
Pat the pork leg dry. Heat the oil in a large casserole or Dutch oven and brown the skin on several sides. Remove the pork and set aside.
In the same pot, briefly fry the garlic and coriander roots or stems. Add the palm sugar and allow it to melt slightly.
Return the pork to the pot. Add the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, black soy sauce, Golden Mountain seasoning sauce, cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, galangal and shiitake mushrooms.
Pour in enough water to almost completely cover the pork. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim if necessary, partially cover and cook over low heat for 2½ to 3 hours. Turn the pork approximately every 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the chillies, garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt to make the dipping sauce. Set aside.
Cook the eggs and peel them, then add them to the braising liquid for the final 15 to 20 minutes so that they absorb some of the colour and flavour.
When the pork is very tender, remove it together with the eggs and shiitake mushrooms. Strain the broth if you prefer a clearer sauce, then cook the Chinese broccoli in the broth for a few minutes.
Remove the bone from the pork if necessary and slice the meat, keeping some of the skin. Cut the eggs in half and slice the shiitake mushrooms.
Divide the jasmine rice between plates. Add the pork, egg, Chinese broccoli, pickled mustard greens and shiitake mushrooms. Spoon plenty of braising liquid over the top and finish with coriander leaves. Serve the chilli vinegar sauce on the side.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The meat remains tough
Probable cause: The pork has not braised long enough or the heat was too high.
Solution: Continue cooking at a gentle simmer until the meat is tender and pulls easily away from the bone.
The broth is too salty
Probable cause: Too much soy sauce or oyster sauce was used, or the liquid reduced too much.
Solution: Add a little hot water, simmer for a few minutes and taste again before adjusting the seasoning.
The broth is too pale or lacks depth
Probable cause: There is not enough black soy sauce, sugar or braising time.
Solution: Very gradually add a little more black soy sauce and gently reduce the broth until it develops a deeper flavour and colour.
The skin is rubbery
Probable cause: The pork has not cooked long enough.
Solution: Continue the gentle braise. The collagen needs sufficient time to soften.
The sauce is too fatty
Probable cause: The pork leg released a large amount of fat during cooking.
Solution: Skim the fat from the surface before serving, or allow the broth to rest for a few minutes so the fat is easier to remove.
Portail Asie tips
Keep the braising liquid at a gentle simmer throughout cooking. A vigorous boil can cloud the broth and make the meat tougher. The pork is ready when it is very tender and the skin is soft. Taste the cooking liquid before adding any salt, as the sauces are already salty. Serve the chilli vinegar sauce separately so everyone can adjust the heat to their taste.
Substitutions and alternatives
- Pork leg
- A rear pork hock or another skin-on cut from the leg can be used. To stay close to the traditional texture, choose a collagen-rich cut.
- Golden Mountain seasoning sauce
- Replace it with an equal amount of light soy sauce if unavailable.
- Chinese broccoli (gai lan)
- Use pak choi or another leafy green vegetable, although the flavour will be slightly different.
- Pickled mustard greens
- They are a traditional accompaniment but can be replaced with another lightly sweetened fermented or pickled vegetable.
Watch the preparation
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Order this dish in Thailand
Thai name:ข้าวขาหมู
Say it simply:Khao Kha Moo
Show this:ขอข้าวขาหมูหนึ่งจานครับ/ค่ะ
Meaning:One Khao Kha Moo, please.
Where to find the ingredients
Pork leg is available from most butchers or larger supermarkets. Thai soy sauces, Golden Mountain seasoning sauce, galangal, gai lan and pickled mustard greens can be found in Asian grocery stores. For black soy sauce, look for Thai “black soy sauce” or use dark soy sauce if necessary.
