Khao Kha Moo

Khao Kha Moo is Thai comfort food at its best: a whole pork hock, braised until tender and falling-off-the-bone in a dark, sweet gravy of dark soy sauce, palm sugar, and warm spices like star anise and cinnamon. This dish is a staple at street markets, where vendors slice the glistening, thoroughly cooked meat thinly and serve it over a pile of steaming jasmine rice with a soft-boiled egg that has absorbed the flavors of the spiced braising liquid. A fresh drizzle of pickled mustard greens and a sharp chili-garlic dip cut through the richness, making each bite perfectly balanced. It takes time, but almost no effort - the pot practically cooks itself.

• Cuisine: Thai
• Time: 3 hours
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Blanch the pork hock in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities, drain the water, and rinse the hock.
2. Melt the palm sugar in a dry, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it turns into a golden caramel – keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.
3. Add the hock and turn it in the caramel to color it on all sides.
4. Add chopped garlic and coriander root, and sauté briefly until fragrant.
5. Pour in enough water to cover the hock, and stir in dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, pa-lo spice mix, and a little five-spice powder. The pa-lo mix already contains star anise, cinnamon, and pepper, so the braising liquid gets its warm spices from there.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and let it simmer gently for 2.5-3 hours until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Turn the hock occasionally.
7. Add the peeled eggs to the pot for the last half hour, allowing them to absorb color and flavor from the braising liquid.
8. Check that the meat is thoroughly cooked and tender - a meat thermometer should show at least 75 degrees Celsius in the center - and season the liquid with a little more palm sugar or soy sauce.
9. Slice the tender meat thinly and arrange it over steaming jasmine rice with a halved egg, a generous ladle of the dark braising liquid, pickled mustard greens, and fresh coriander.

Tips

• The long, slow simmer is key - the meat should be so tender that it falls off the bone by itself.
• The pa-lo spice mix contains star anise, cinnamon, and pepper, making the seasoning easy and authentic.
• Save the dark braising liquid; it can be frozen and reused as a base next time, deepening its flavor even further.
• Serve with a simple dip of chopped fresh chili, garlic, and a little of the braising liquid to cut through the rich meat.