Khana Mu Krop (Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli with Crispy Pork Belly)

In this Thai street food classic, a simple stir-fry becomes greater than the sum of its ingredients.

By
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabanhu is a food writer, recipe developer, and award-winning author specializing in Thai cooking. She has written three cookbooks: Simple Thai Food, Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill, and Bangkok, which won the 2018 Art of Eating Prize.
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Updated February 20, 2025
Overhead view of stir-fried Chinese broccoli with crispy pork belly served on a white plate.

Serious Eats / Leela Punyaratabandhu

Why It Works

  • Starting with store-bought Chinese roast pork cuts down on prep work.
  • The chiles and oyster sauce balance the richness of the pork belly.
  • The Chinese broccoli is added at the end and minimally cooked to preserve its crisp texture.

I was going to say that the twice-fried pork belly is what makes this dish appealing, but quickly realized the inaccuracy of that. If it's the crispy pork belly I'm after, I might as well make or buy some Chinese-style crispy pork belly, eat that, and call it a day. But, no. What makes this dish one of the most popular at made-to-order street food stalls and rice-curry shops in Thailand is the fact that all of the ingredients work together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

Overhead view of a bunch of Chinese broccoli set on a fuchsia bamboo mat. A coconut-wood ladle is set nearby, cradling red chiles and garlic cloves.

Serious Eats / Leela Punyaratabandhu

To make things easier for you, don't make your own crispy pork belly; buy it instead. I hope there's a Chinese barbecue joint or a Chinatown where you live as those are the places where Chinese-style roasted pork belly (siu yuk) can often be found. If not, replace the crispy pork belly with the same amount of thinly sliced pork loin. It won't be the same, and it can't be called khana mu krop in the absence of mu krop (crispy pork), but it will be delicious regardless.

A closeup of a thick slice of Chinese crispy roast pork belly that's been cut into 1/2-inch lardons and arranged on a lettuce-lined plate.

Serious Eats / Leela Punyaratabandhu

Those who don't like spicy things can omit the fresh bird's eye chiles. But I'd like to, if I may, encourage you to use them. They really make a difference to a rich, fatty dish such as this. If you're very sensitive to the heat of fresh chiles, perhaps you can add just a couple and lightly bruise them instead of slicing or chopping them.

This dish is usually served with rice but is also excellent atop blanched egg noodles.

This recipe originally appeared as part of Leela Punyaratabandhu’s “My Thai” series. 

October 2012

Recipe Details

Khana Mu Krop (Chinese Broccoli with Pork Belly) Recipe

Cook 5 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

  • 1 pound roast pork belly, cut into 1/2- by 1/2- by 1-inch pieces (see note)

  • 1 pound Chinese broccoli (kai lan), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

  • 2 fresh bird's eye chiles, smashed (or cut into thin slices)

  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • Fish sauce to taste (see note)

Directions

  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until lightly smoking.

  2. Add pork belly and stir to brown pieces on all sides, about 1 minute.

  3. Add Chinese broccoli, garlic, chiles, oyster sauce, and sugar; stir.

  4. Cook until broccoli is tender-crisp, about 1 minute.

  5. Remove from heat, season with fish sauce, and serve over rice.

    Closeup of the finished stir-fry, ready to serve.

    Serious Eats / Leela Punyaratabandhu

Notes

Crispy pork belly can be found in any Chinese grocery store or butcher that sells barbecue meat. Prepared crispy pork belly from different stores contains varying amounts of salt. Taste it before you proceed as you may find that you need less fish sauce than the amount called for in this recipe. When in doubt, it's best to add less fish sauce than you think prudent as you can always add more.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
335Calories
23gFat
8gCarbs
24gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories335
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g29%
Saturated Fat 8g39%
Cholesterol 82mg27%
Sodium 6173mg268%
Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
Dietary Fiber 3g12%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 34mg168%
Calcium 175mg13%
Iron 2mg10%
Potassium 574mg12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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