FEATURE RECIPE
Muu yang with nahm jim jaew (barbecued pork with chilli dipping sauce)

Muu yang with nahm jim jaew (barbecued pork with chilli dipping sauce)

Muu yang is a popular street food in Isaan. If you have time, marinate the meat for 2 days – you’ll be rewarded by the flavour. You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Serves 6

Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 25 mins (plus marinating)



4   coriander roots, scraped
3   garlic cloves, finely chopped
1   lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
1 tsp   coarsely ground white pepper
20 gm   light palm sugar, crushed
1 tbsp   fish sauce
1 tbsp   dark soy sauce
600 gm   piece of pork neck, cut lengthways into 2cm-thick slabs
Nahm jim jaew
2 tsp   black glutinous rice
6   birdseye chillies, coarsely chopped
3   long red chillies, coarsely chopped
1   garlic clove
80 ml (1/3 cup)   fish sauce
40 gm   light palm sugar (crushed), or to taste
20 gm   tamarind pulp, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water, strained (solids discarded)
1   red shallot, finely chopped


1 Process coriander, garlic, lemongrass and pepper in a small food processor until finely chopped, add palm sugar, fish and soy sauces, transfer to a non-reactive container with pork neck, turn to coat and refrigerate to marinate (overnight).
2 Meanwhile, for nahm jim jaew, dry-roast rice in a small frying pan over high heat until toasted (4-5 minutes), then pound in a mortar and pestle until finely ground. Add chillies and garlic, pound to a fine paste, add remaining ingredients, adjust seasoning to taste (should taste hot, sour and salty) and stir to combine.
3 Preheat a coal-bedded barbecue or char-grill pan to medium-high heat. Add pork and turn occasionally until charred and cooked through (15-20 minutes). Slice and serve with nahm jim jaew.

This recipe is from the February 2011 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Drink Suggestion Fruity sparkling cider.

RECIPE Lisa Featherby PHOTOGRAPHY William Meppem STYLING Geraldine Munoz and Lisa Featherby DRINK SUGGESTION Max Allen

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