Thai BBQ Red Pork with Rice (Khao Moo Daeng)

I found many recipes for Khao Moo Dang. And this is my way to make it easy. It has always been my favorite dish.


For Pork Marinade:
1 (4 pound) pork boston butt (cut into 1 inch thick and 4 inch wide pieces)
2 envelopes of Lobo Brand roast red pork seasoning mix (2 envelopes in the package)
1 cup water
3-5 cloves garlic
½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 cilantro roots (I substitute with hand full of cilantro bottom stems)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar


For Gravy:
3 cups water
8 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
2 tablespoons chinese cooking wine (optional)
¼ cup tapioca starch or cornstarch mix with ½ cup water
Honey (optional)

Directions:
1. Using a heavy mortar and pestle, pound garlic, black peppercorns and cilantro to a paste; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix red pork seasoning mix and water. Add garlic mixture and mix well. Add pork and hand mix for 3 minutes. Cover, and refrigerate for over night.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Add marinade pork and cook on both sides for 20 minutes. Meanwhile; pour 3 cups of water into the marinade bowl so that we can use it for gravy (in the next section); set aside.

After 20 minutes, remove pork from the heat and place the pork into the baking pan. Add water mixture to the skillet and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan to loosen all the drippings. Add ketchup, brown sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, sesame oil and chinese cooking wine; stir well. Slowly pour in the tapioca starch mixture while stirring the sauce, until thickened and boiling. Remove gravy from the heat.

4. Drizzle and brush honey over the pork on both sides, if desire. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes flip other side up and bake for 10 minutes.

5. To serve; slice the pork and place over the rice and top with the gravy. Garnish the top with cilantro leaves, serve with boiled egg, sliced cucumber and scallion.