Moo Palo (Thai Pork Belly Stew with Eggs) Recipe

For the Dipping Sauce: In a granite mortar and pestle, combine garlic, a small pinch of kosher salt, and chiles and pound until a coarse paste forms, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue to pound into a mostly fine paste (some larger pieces are okay), about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, transfer to a small bowl, and set aside. Wipe out mortar and pestle. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik For the Stew: In now-empty mortar and pestle, add peppercorns and pound until fine, about 20 seconds. Add coriander roots, garlic, and salt and continue to pound until a fine paste has formed, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik In a Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat until shimmering. Add pork belly and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork belly to a medium bowl and set aside. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Reduce heat to low. Add palm sugar and cook, stirring and scraping bottom occasionally, until caramelized and deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Stir in cinnamon sticks, star anise, five-spice powder, and reserved pepper-coriander paste and cook until the aroma is released, about 15 seconds; you may need to move the pan off the heat to avoid burning the sugar. Return pork belly to pot and stir until thoroughly coated with the caramelized sugar sauce, about 1 minute. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Add 10 cups (2.3L) water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, skim any scum that accumulates on the surface, then stir in fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and black soy sauce. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the pork is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add eggs, stirring to make sure they’re fully coated in the sauce. Cover and let stand to allow eggs to absorb sauce, about 30 minutes. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Serve immediately with dipping sauce and cooked jasmine rice. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik