Khao Tom Moo (Thai Rice Soup with Pork)
This super quick and easy Thai rice soup is so comforting and warming. A simple broth with fluffy rice makes is further enhanced by tiny and fragrant pork balls. It's the essence of Thai cuisine.
Servings: 4
Calories: 403kcal
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 tbsp cilantro roots or stems (finely chopped)
- 2 spring onions - white parts (finely chopped) (keep the green parts for garnish, thinly sliced).
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cup broken rice or jasmine rice (around 185 g / 6.5 oz)
- 7 cups water (around 1.6 litres / 56 US fl oz)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Meatballs
- 250 g minced pork
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp cilantro leaves (chopped)
Garnishes
- Spring onion green parts (see above)
- Ginger julienned (optional)
- Cilantro chopped (optional)
- Thai chilli thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the cilantro stems/root, spring onion whites and garlic until you have a rough paste.
- Over a medium/high temperature, heat the oil in a large pot until hot. Add the paste to the pan and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the rice and stir to coat everything thoroughly.
- Pour in the water, bouillon powder, white pepper and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the pork with the white pepper, cilantro leaves and fish sauce and roll into small balls (1-2cm).
- After the rice has been cooking for 20 minutes, drop the pork balls into the soup and simmer for another 5-7 minutes until cooked through.(If you're checking temperature of pork, between 71°C/160°F)
- Remove from the heat and add up to 1tsp salt (to your taste) and serve.
- Garnish with the green parts of the spring onion and optionally, ginger juliennes, cilantro and Thai chillies.
Notes
- Broken rice gives the soup a wonderfully soft texture, but regular jasmine rice works perfectly too.
- Make the pork meatballs small—about 1–2 cm—so they cook quickly and evenly. Ground pork should reach 71°C/160°F in the centre.
- Serve immediately, as the rice continues absorbing the broth and thickens over time.
- If reheating, add a splash of water or stock to restore the soup’s lighter consistency.
- Optional garnishes include sliced Thai chilli, julienned ginger, crispy garlic, coriander and spring onion. See the main post for more serving suggestions.
Nutrition
Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1352mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg