Deep-Fried Pork with Roasted Rice and Chili Powder

Think of Thai food and the first images that come to mind are fragrant herbs and aromatics — lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves — tropical fruits, creamy curries, stir-fried noodles and jasmine rice.

While these are all typical Thai ingredients and dishes, visitors to the Land of Smiles might be surprised to find that there’s another common ingredient found in everything from noodle soup and phad grapao to simply grilled on a stick — pork.

In the northern part of the country, pork plays a particularly prominent role with local sausages like naem, a fermented sour sausage, and sai oua, stuffed full of chillies and herbs, eaten both in dishes and on their own. 

While pork may not be quite as prevalent in the rest of Thailand, specifically in the deep south where seafood and beef reign supreme, many Thai dishes show influences of traditional Chinese flavours and cooking techniques which regularly include the succulent meat.

At 5-star hotels across the country, talented chefs are raising the humble ingredient up to new levels and, with the Year of the Pig just around the corner in 2019, what better time to take a peek at some thoroughly indulgent pork dishes. 

To bring out the flavours even more, the dish below highlights a pairing recommendation made by Bart Duykers of Andaman Wine Club from each restaurant’s wine list.   andaman-wine-club.com; [email protected]

Hotel Indigo Bangkok

A popular snacking food, Deep-Fried Pork with Roasted Rice and Chili Powder, known as moo klook foon in Thai, has been elevated at Hotel Indigo Bangkok’s Metro on Wireless restaurant thanks to the creative vision of Neighbourhood Chef Chamlong “Jimmy” Pewthaisong. Served on a colourful enamelware tray and ‘dusted’ tableside before being served atop a bed of lettuce in a traditional Thai tiffin container, the tender pork dish is just as fun to eat as it is delicious. When dusted with the chilli, roasted rice powder and lime, it transforms from simply fried pork to a full-flavoured spicy treat!

Wine companion: This is a quite delicate dish, which requires a subtle, refreshing wine. I spotted a German riesling on the list, a 2014 Kallstradt, which is available by the glass or the bottle. Dry, crisp and wonderfully balanced, with a nice acidity, which won’t overpower.

hotelindigo.com/bangkok