Thai · Authentic-ish Thai
Moo Ping (Pork Skewers)
212 kcal a serving, against 384 for the traditional version. That is 172 kcal off, or 45%, with 30.2g of protein. Serves 4. 40 minutes plus marinating.
What the traditional version is
Thin slices of pork shoulder or collar, marinated in a slurry of garlic, coriander root, white pepper, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and condensed milk. Pork fat cubes are threaded between the meat. The skewers are grilled over charcoal, brushed with coconut milk for gloss, and eaten straight from the stick, piping hot.
What changed, and what each change costs
Swap pork shoulder and belly for lean pork loin (500g)
Pork loin is the leanest cut I can get past a grill without losing all hope. All the cubes of pork fat are gone, so you get a protein boost and the fat drops off a cliff. The catch? There's no built-in basting, so you lose the juicy hit that makes Moo Ping king of the street.
What it costs you. The skewers lose some of their famous succulence. Bite in without watching, and you'll notice it's drier than you remember. Flavour's there, but texture takes the hit.
Condensed milk out, fat-free Greek yoghurt in (30g)
Condensed milk adds a sugary roundness to the marinade. Greek yoghurt brings softness to the meat and a bit of tang, without the sugar (or the calories).
What it costs you. You'll miss the sweet, caramel undertone. What you get in return is slightly more tender pork, and an easier marinade to find at the supermarket.
Bump up the garlic and coriander root
With no fatty glaze, the aromatics have to pull their weight. More of both means you won't mistake this for sad, dry grilled pork from a petrol station forecourt.
What it costs you. If you don't love garlic, now's your chance to cut it back a bit, but you'll be missing out on the best weapon left.
Reduce coconut milk for basting (from 50g to 20g)
You don't need as much for lean pork and you're not trying to lacquer fat cubes. This mists the skewers rather than drenching them, saving a spoonful of fat.
What it costs you. Less gloss, less coconut aroma, but your fingers stay cleaner.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 384 | 212 |
| Protein | 24.3g | 30.2g |
| Fat | 26.2g | 5.8g |
| Saturated fat | 10.7g | 2.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 12g | 8.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.3g | 14.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Thai prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. fish, gluten, milk, molluscs, soybeans.
The method is in the book
No getting around it: without the fat cubes, this isn't the true Moo Ping, it's a passable lean cousin with excellent flavour but a drier chew. The marinade still gives you that unmistakeable hit of coriander root and garlic, and it's still very much at home with sticky rice on the side. If you want it juicy, you'll have to take the lumps and keep the fat in. If not, this is as close as you'll get and still fit into your jeans.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Thai, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.