If you're a fan of garlic and crave some Thai flavors, look no further than the delicious Moo Pad Kratiem (Thai garlic pork stir-fry). It's a simple, comforting dish easily made for a weeknight dinner. This comforting dish is a simple yet delicious meal that will satisfy your taste buds.
Moo Pad Kratiem is a popular Thai stir fry dish that can be easily customized with your choice of protein - pork, chicken, or beef.
For more tasty Thai recipes, try these popular recipes, Kanom Jeeb, Moo Yang Thai grilled pork neck, Gai Tod Thai fried chicken wings, authentic Thai beef laab recipe, Thai lemongrass drink, and Thai pork omelette.
Jump to:
- Here's why you're going to love Moo Pad Kratiem
- What is Moo Pad Kratiem?
- Thai Pork Stir Fry Ingredients
- How to Make Stir-Fry Pork
- Top Tip
- Garnishing Options
- Thai Pork Stir Fry Tips
- What to Serve with Moo Pad Kratiem Thai Garlic Pork
- Variations
- Storing Leftover Thai Pork Stir Fry
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Thai Recipes You'll Love
- More Thai Recipes You'll Love
- Pad Kratiem (Stir Fry Pork Recipe)
- More Thai Recipes You'll Love
- Pairing
Here's why you're going to love Moo Pad Kratiem
- Intense Flavor: Moo Pad Kratiem is all about the bold flavors of garlic and pepper. If you like savory and spicy dishes, this one's for you.
- Quick and Easy: It's an easy recipe perfect for a weeknight dinner. You'll have a delicious meal on the table in no time.
- It's not spicy! Add less (or more!) white pepper to adjust the heat.
- Versatile Dish: Whether you want a satisfying main meal or a delightful side dish, Moo Pad Kratiem fits the bill.
- Authentic Thai Taste: This dish captures the essence of Thai street food and comfort cuisine right in your own kitchen.
- Protein is customizable! Use pork, chicken, beef, seafood, or firm tofu as your favorite protein!
What is Moo Pad Kratiem?
Moo Pad Kratiem, also known as Moo Kratiem or Thai Garlic Pork, is a classic Thai stir-fry made with juicy marinated pork, loads of fresh garlic, and a fragrant mix of black and white pepper. The pork is cooked over high heat until tender and golden, then finished with crispy fried garlic for an irresistible crunch.
This Thai garlic pork stir fry is quick, flavorful, and pairs perfectly with jasmine rice or sticky rice, making it a staple in Thai home cooking.
A similar dish you’ll often find at Thai street food stalls is Moo Tod Kratiem (deep-fried garlic pork). While equally delicious, this stir-fried version uses less oil, making it a lighter and healthier alternative without losing any of that bold, garlicky flavor.
Thai Pork Stir Fry Ingredients
Thai Garlic Pork Marinating Paste
- Garlic cloves – I used 10 large cloves, but you can use more or less to taste.
- Cilantro stems (or roots) – If you can find cilantro root, use them; otherwise, use the thick lower stems.
- Ground white pepper – Adjust to your preferred heat level.
Making the Crispy Garlic Oil
- Garlic cloves. The star ingredient for the recipe.
- Oil. Use neutral oil like canola, avocado, or vegetable oil. Use less if you want to, but the excess oil can be saved later. You'll only need 2 tablespoons for the stir-frying of the pork.
Pork Garlic Marinated Sauce
This sauce will marinate the pork, allowing the flavors of the ingredients to soak in and infuse the meat, creating a deeply seasoned, flavorful pork stir-fry.
- Pork. I used loin chop center cut. Pork shoulder or any other leaner cut is fine, too.
- Oyster sauce. What's a stir fry without oyster sauce? You get your pork's silky, umami, savory taste here.
- Fish sauce. I used the Squid brand.
- Mushroom soy sauce. Mushroom soy sauce is much lighter than that Thai light soy sauce. It has flavors similar to Golden Mountain seasoning. Find it at your local Asian market.
- Dark soy sauce. It adds a thick, caramelized color to your pork. Skip it if you can't find and use molasses instead.
- Sugar, white, or brown. If you have sweet dark soy sauce, you can use that instead of the sugar.
- Baking soda. This is my secret to creating tender pork when stir-frying. Just a light dust is all you need.
- Water. Use it to help loosen the meat when sticking to the pan.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
- A wok or large pan for stir-frying.
- A mixing bowl for marinating the pork.
- Splash guard
- Wiremesh strainer
How to Make Stir-Fry Pork
Step 1: Make the Marinating Paste. In a small stone mortar and pestle, pound together garlic, cilantro stems (or roots), and white peppercorns until smooth. This is your classic Thai “three musketeers” paste.
Step 2: Marinate the Pork. In a mixing bowl, combine the paste with oyster sauce, fish sauce, mushroom soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and ground pepper. Stir well.
Add the pork, baking soda, and water. Mix until the pork is evenly coated.
Cover and let marinate for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the garlic oil.
Kitchen Tip: The longer you marinate the pork, the deeper the flavors—marinate for up to 24 hours for the best taste.
Step 3: Make the Crispy Fried Garlic. Finely chop the remaining garlic cloves into small pieces (not minced or crushed—you want small chunks). Heat neutral oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and fry, stirring often, until lightly golden brown (about 3–4 minutes).
Kitchen Tips. Do not overcook, as the garlic will turn bitter.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic to a small bowl and strain to separate the garlic from the oil. Reserve both.
Step 4: Stir-Fry the Pork and Sauce. Increase the heat to high in the same wok/skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved garlic oil and let it heat until shimmering.
Stir the marinated pork again to loosen it, then add the pork to the hot pan along with all of the marinade. Spread the pork out in an even layer and let it sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, then stir and continue cooking until the pork is browned, cooked through, and the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.
Kitchen Tips. If the sauce thickens too quickly or the meat starts to stick, add 1–2 tablespoons of water to loosen it.
Step 5: Add the Crispy Garlic. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the crispy fried garlic over the stir-fried pork and toss to combine.
Step 6: Serve. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with extra fried garlic, a dash of white pepper, and cucumber or tomato slices. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice or sticky rice.
Top Tip
- Use a splatter guard when frying garlic to prevent oil from splattering.
Garnishing Options
- Fresh coriander leaves and sliced fresh chilis make excellent garnishes to add freshness and heat to your Thai garlic pepper pork.
Thai Pork Stir Fry Tips
- Make sure to heat enough oil in the pan. It should be hot before you start cooking.
- If you have cilantro roots, use them! Take 3 roots, wash them well, and chop them into small pieces. Then, pound them.
- When frying the garlic, use a small fine mesh wire strainer to separate the garlic from the oil. This will help you use less oil for the stir fry.
- Don't throw away the extra garlic oil. It's valuable, so save it for later use.
- Feel free to add more garlic if you like. I personally added about 2 tablespoons extra because I love garlic so much!
- Cooking over high heat is key to achieving the pork's golden brown, crispy texture.
What to Serve with Moo Pad Kratiem Thai Garlic Pork
- This dish is delicious on its own, but pairs perfectly with steamed jasmine or sticky rice.
- Add a few sliced vegetables to make it a bit healthier. Use sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, or shredded carrots.
Variations
- You can also prepare Moo Pad Kratiem with chicken instead of pork, known as "Gai Pad Kratiem."
- Use firm tofu for your protein for a vegetarian version. Be careful not to stir the tofu too much to prevent it from breaking.
Storing Leftover Thai Pork Stir Fry
- While Moo Pad Kratiem is best enjoyed fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Its simple yet explosive flavor profile and quick preparation have made it a favorite dish among Thai street food vendors and home cooks.
Absolutely! Adjust the amount of black and white pepper to suit your spice tolerance.
While both dishes are stir-fried and share some ingredients, Pad Kee Mao typically includes wide rice noodles and a different sauce.
Opt for lean pork cuts like pork loin or tenderloin for the best results.
Fresh garlic is recommended for its aromatic flavor. Garlic powder is not recommended.
"Kratiem" refers to garlic in Thai, highlighting the star ingredient of this dish.
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Pad Kratiem (Stir Fry Pork Recipe)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
If you're a fan of garlic and crave some Thai flavors, look no further than the delicious Moo Pad Kratiem (Thai garlic pork stir-fry). It's a simple, comforting dish easily made for a weeknight dinner. This comforting dish is a simple yet delicious meal that will satisfy your taste buds.
Ingredients
For the marinating paste
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons cilantro stems, sliced into 1-inch pieces.
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, add more as preferred for your taste buds.
For the garlic oil
- 10 garlic cloves, 3 for the paste, and the rest for frying in oil
- ¼ cup oil
For the meat and sauce
- 1 pound pork. Slice into long, thin pieces around ⅓ inches pieces by 3 inches long. I used loin chop center cut. Any lean cut of pork is fine
- 1 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce, Squid brand
- 1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar, white or brown
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
-
Make the Marinating Paste. In a small stone mortar and pestle, pound together garlic, cilantro stems (or roots), and white peppercorns until smooth. This is your classic Thai “three musketeers” paste.
-
Marinate the Pork. In a mixing bowl, combine the paste with oyster sauce, fish sauce, mushroom soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and ground pepper. Stir well. Add the pork, baking soda, and water. Mix until the pork is evenly coated. Cover and let marinate for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the garlic oil. Kitchen Tip: The longer you marinate the pork, the deeper the flavors—marinate for up to 24 hours for the best taste.
-
Make the Crispy Fried Garlic. Finely chop the remaining garlic cloves into small pieces (not minced or crushed—you want small chunks). Heat neutral oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and fry, stirring often, until lightly golden brown (about 3–4 minutes). Kitchen Tips. Do not overcook, as the garlic will turn bitter. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic to a small bowl and strain to separate the garlic from the oil. Reserve both.
-
Step 4: Stir-Fry the Pork and Sauce. Increase the heat to high in the same wok/skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved garlic oil and let it heat until shimmering.
Stir the marinated pork again to loosen it, then add the pork to the hot pan along with all of the marinade. Spread the pork out in an even layer and let it sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, then stir and continue cooking until the pork is browned, cooked through, and the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.
Kitchen Tips. If the sauce thickens too quickly or the meat starts to stick, add 1–2 tablespoons of water to loosen it. -
Add the Crispy Garlic. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the crispy fried garlic over the stir-fried pork and toss to combine.
-
Serve. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with extra fried garlic, a dash of white pepper, and cucumber or tomato slices.
Notes
- Make sure to heat enough oil in the pan. It should be hot before you start cooking.
- If you have cilantro roots, use them! Take 3 roots, wash them well, and chop them into small pieces. Then, pound them.
- When frying the garlic, use a small fine mesh wire strainer to separate the garlic from the oil. This will help you use less oil for the stir fry.
- Don't throw away the extra garlic oil. It's valuable, so save it for later use.
- Feel free to add more garlic if you like. I personally added about 2 tablespoons extra because I love garlic a lot!
- Cooking over high heat is key to achieving the pork's golden brown, crispy texture.
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- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Pork recipe
- Method: stir fry
- Cuisine: Thai
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Pairing
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Suwanee says
Hi Mark,
Thanks so much for pointing that out — you’re right, I didn’t make it clear in the instructions. I’ve updated the recipe so it now says to cook the pork with all of the marinade until the sauce reduces and coats the pork. Appreciate you catching that!
Happy cooking,
Suwanee
Mark F says
In your instructions, I don’t see where the sauce is added. After frying the pork, do you simply pour the sauce onto the pork? Or do you remove the pork from the pan, cook the sauce in the pan a bit, and then reintroduce the pork?
Suwanee says
I'm so happy to hear, Cynthia! Enjoy!
Cynthia Guilford says
I love this recipe. Ì've made it using wild hog,chicken and shrimp. It's definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing
Suwanee says
So happy to hear it, Lin! I love extra garlic too, so perfect together!
Lin says
Loved this garlic chicken! Very easy and very tasty. I doubled up on the garlic and loved it still! ☺️ thanks to much!
Suwanee says
THank you so much, Thomas!
Suwanee says
Opps, sorry about that, JBoz, it was definitely a typo. Just one time for the fishsfauce. Fixed it now. Thank you for the catch!
JBoz says
Why Fish sauce twice? I don't see in the direction or pictures of more then one fish sauce. Its listed as squid brand and just fish sauce.
Thomas says
Wow, the flavours! The pork tenderising tip was top notch and the meat was tender and delicious. Thank you for such a lovely recipe.
Suwanee says
Happy to hear this, Nitta!
Nitta says
Very ready to make and the meat is extra tender. Our new favorite. Next time will try using chicken. Thank you, Suwanee!