How to make Khanom Pang Na Moo (Thai Pork Toast) at home
Khanom Pang Na Moo (Thai Pork Toast) is a popular Thai dish that consists of bread with a delicious minced pork topping. It's a delightful combination of sweet, savory, and aromatic flavors. Below is a simple recipe to make Khanom Pang Na Moo at home:
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet A wok or a large skillet is essential for stir-frying the minced pork and creating the delicious caramelized coating.
- Spatula or wooden spoon You'll need a spatula or wooden spoon to stir and break up the ground pork as it cooks.
- Toaster or Oven You'll need either a toaster or an oven to toast the bread slices until they are lightly browned and crispy
- Cutting board and knife You'll need a cutting board and a knife to mince the garlic, chop the shallots, and prepare any optional garnishes like cucumber.
- Small bowl A small bowl will be useful to mix the sauce ingredients before adding them to the wok
- Measuring spoons Measuring spoons will help you accurately measure the sauce ingredients, like oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and black soy sauce
- Plate or Serving Platter You'll need a plate or serving platter to arrange and serve the assembled Khanom Pang Na Moo
Ingredients
For the bread
- 4 slices of soft bread (white or whole wheat)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
For the pork topping:
- 250 grams ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp black soy sauce for colour
- 1/4 cup water
For garnish
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Thinly sliced cucumber
For Acar dipping
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 red or green chili peppers, thinly sliced optional for heat
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
Pork Topping
- In a wok or a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and chopped shallots to the hot oil. Stir-fry until they become fragrant and lightly golden.
- Add the ground pork to the wok and break it into small pieces with a spatula. Cook the pork until it's no longer pink and starts to brown.
- In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, black soy sauce, and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the cooked pork in the wok. Continue to stir-fry everything together until the pork is evenly coated with the sauce and the liquid has reduced, creating a flavorful caramelized coating on the meat.
- Taste the pork topping and adjust the seasoning to your preference. You can add more sugar for sweetness or more fish sauce for saltiness.
- Remove the wok from the heat
Prepare the bread
- Take each slice of bread and create a well in the center using a small round cookie cutter or the back of a spoon. The well should be big enough to hold an egg. Be careful not to cut all the way through the bread.
- Fill the well in each slice of bread with the cooked pork topping.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or pot over medium heat.
- While the oil is heating, lightly beat the eggs in a bowl.
- Dip each filled bread slice into the beaten eggs, making sure the egg coats the top and sides of the bread.
- Carefully place the egg-coated bread slices into the hot oil, filled side down. Fry until golden brown and crispy, then flip the bread slices and fry the other side until evenly browned.
- Once the bread slices are deep-fried and crispy, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Optionally, garnish the Khanom Pang Na Moo with fresh cilantro leaves, thinly sliced cucumber.
Acar Dipping
- Thinly slice the cucumber and onion
- In a saucepan, combine rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained and dried vegetables with the dressing. Toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Transfer the Acar to a clean, airtight container and serve with Khanom Pang Na Moo
Notes
- Bread: You can use any soft bread of your choice, such as white bread or whole wheat bread. Ensure the bread is fresh and not stale for the best texture.
- Pork: For the minced pork, you can use lean ground pork or a mix of lean and fatty pork for added flavor and moisture.
- Vegetarian Option: If you prefer a vegetarian version, you can substitute the ground pork with minced tofu or textured vegetable protein (TVP). Ensure you adjust the seasonings to suit the plant-based option.
- Sauce Adjustments: The provided sauce measurements are a starting point. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar; if you prefer it saltier, add more fish sauce or soy sauce.
- Spiciness: The recipe doesn't include spicy ingredients, but you can add some heat by incorporating chopped chili peppers or chili flakes into the pork topping or the dipping sauce.
- Garnishes: The optional garnishes of fresh cilantro, cucumber, and tomato add extra freshness and texture. You can customize the garnishes according to your preference.
- Dipping Sauce: While the recipe doesn't include a specific dipping sauce, a common Thai dipping sauce for Khanom Pang Na Moo can be made with a mix of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili garlic sauce. Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.
- Cooking Time: Ensure you don't overcook the pork to keep it tender and juicy. Stir-fry the pork until it's fully cooked and has a caramelized coating from the sauce.
- Serving: Khanom Pang Na Moo is often served as a snack or appetizer, but you can also enjoy it as a light meal with a side salad.
- Storage: The assembled Khanom Pang Na Moo is best served immediately while the bread is still crispy. However, you can store the pork topping and bread separately in the refrigerator and assemble them just before serving to retain the bread's texture. Remember, recipes are flexible, and you can always modify them to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs. Have fun experimenting and enjoy your homemade Khanom Pang Na Moo!