Moo Nam Tok (Thai Grilled Pork Salad)

This Thai grilled pork salad known as Moo Nam Tok is quick and easy to make, and the resulting flavors are just incredible. Thin slices of grilled pork are tossed with fresh herbs, toasted rice powder, and a vibrant spicy and sour dressing. It's bold, refreshing, and deeply satisfying.

You may be familiar with the Thai grilled steak salad known as Beef Waterfall (Neua Nam Tok). This grilled pork version known as Moo Nam Tok is slightly less well-known, but it's just as delicious.

Nam Tok salads originated in Northeastern Thailand. They're made of grilled meat, toasted rice powder, and fresh herbs including cilantro, mint, and shallots. The salad is tossed with a spicy and sour dressing made from dried chili flakes, lime juice, and fish sauce. The most common choice of grilled meat is beef (Neua in Thai), but pork (Moo in Thai) is also frequently used. Both versions are incredibly delicious!

What does Nam Tok mean?

In Thai, Nam means water and Tok means to fall. Nam Tok, therefore, means falling water or waterfall. These grilled meat salads of Northeastern Thai origin were named "Beef Waterfall" and "Pork Waterfall" for the drippings of juice that fall from the meat as it's being grilled.

Ingredients

• Pork: Pork neck or shoulder are tender and flavorful. Marinate with oyster sauce and black pepper before grilling.
• Toasted Rice Powder: Toast uncooked sticky rice until it's golden brown, then grind into a powder.
• Lime Juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice is best.
• Fish Sauce: Adds the salty component to the salad.
• Dried Chili Flakes: This recipe calls for ½ teaspoon of dried chili flakes, which will result in a medium level of spice. Adjust according to your preference.
• Shallots: Small red Asian shallots are great if you can find them.
• Cilantro: Use just the leaves of the cilantro plant, or coarsely chop the leaves and upper stems.
• Mint: Use whole small leaves or coarsely chop larger ones.
• Sawtooth coriander (optional): Also known as culantro, this herb has a flavor that's similar to cilantro, but stronger. Slice thinly to avoid sharp edges.
• Lemongrass (optional): Some recipes for Nam Tok include lemongrass, and others do not. If you'd like to use it, slice the lemongrass very finely.

Substitutions

This salad is really best if you have all of the ingredients listed above. If you don't have access to sawtooth coriander, it's fine to leave it out. If you don't have access to shallots, finely sliced red onions can be used in their place. Mint and cilantro are must-have herbs, however, and cannot be substituted.

How to Make Moo Nam Tok

Moo Nam Tok is really quick and easy to put together. Once your toasted rice powder is made, it's simply a matter of grilling your pork, chopping some herbs, and tossing it all together with the spicy and sour dressing.

Step 1: Gather the fresh herbs, wash and pat dry. Assemble the fish sauce, lime juice, and dried chili flakes for the dressing. Make your toasted rice powder by dry frying uncooked sticky rice in a pan over medium heat. Once it is golden brown, remove from pan and pulse in a spice grinder.

Step 2: Marinate the pork with oyster sauce and black pepper for at least 10 minutes and up to overnight before grilling. Grill the pork over medium high heat until it's cooked how you like it. Let the meat rest, then slice against the grain into thin slices.

Step 3: While the pork is grilling, prepare the fresh herbs. Wash and dry the cilantro and mint. If your mint leaves are small, there's no need to chop them. If they're on the larger side, coarsely chop them. Chop the cilantro leaves coarsely and the sawtooth coriander leaves finely. Slice the shallot finely.

Step 4: Combine the sliced pork with the herbs. Add fish sauce, lime juice, dried chili flakes, and toasted rice powder and toss together. Do a taste test and adjust the seasonings to your preference. The salad should be vibrantly spicy, sour, and salty. Serve with cabbage, long beans, extra mint, and a side of sticky rice.

Variations

Moo Nam Tok (Pork Waterfall) is a variation of Neua Nam Tok (Beef Waterfall). These salads contain the same ingredients and are made the same way, with the only difference being the meat that is used. Nam Tok would likely be delicious using grilled chicken as well, although this is not a common variation found in Thailand.

Nam Tok salads are closely related to Larb, another meat salad of Northeastern Thai origin. Both salads are tossed with a fish sauce / lime juice / dried chili flake dressing. They both feature cilantro, mint, and shallots as well as toasted rice powder. However, while Larb is made with minced meat (chicken in Larb Gai or pork in Larb Moo), Nam Tok is always made with a single piece of grilled meat.

Storage

Moo Nam Tok is best when eaten immediately after it's made. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, but the herbs tend to wilt and turn brown quickly once dressed.

Fortunately, all of the components of the salad can be prepared ahead of time. The toasted rice powder and ground chili flakes can be made and stored in the pantry for several months. The herbs can be washed and stored in the fridge. The dressing can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. When you're ready to make the salad, it's simply a matter of grilling the pork and tossing it with all of the other pre-made / prepared ingredients.

Serving Suggestions

Moo Nam Tok is often served with a wedge of cabbage, long beans, and additional mint on the plate next to it. As it is of Northeastern Thai origin, this salad is most often eaten with Thai sticky rice. These two dishes alone could make a simple meal, or you could add one or two other Thai dishes and serve them all family style.