Khao Kha Moo is not only a favorite of Thailand's Prime Minister (a celebrity chef), it's also one of those ubiquitous dishes served by street vendors throughout Thailand. If you think it's hard to make at home--it's not! The recipe below makes a wonderful khao kha moo but be sure you get the right piece of meat. Ask a butcher for a pork shank, fresh. You must get it "fresh" which means it has not been cured or smoked. Even if it's frozen that's fine just state "fresh" to denote that you don't want it already smoked or cured. Hock (cut from the shoulder) is also a cut that works fine. Try to get a front leg, as the back legs contain more fat and less meat.
Khao kaa moo, literally ‘pork leg rice,’ is one of the most popular lunch dishes in Thailand. A slow, warm braise dish, it uses various parts of a pig from trotters to leg. The pork on the bone is simmered in mild Chinese five spice broth and served with rice and various accompaniments.
It’s an all-in-one type of dish – a bit of pork, a bit of rice and a bit of veggies. You will find it on most street corners along with khao mun gai (chicken rice, the Thai take on the famous Hainanese chicken rice) and khao moo dang (Chinese style roast pork rice) and various other cousins that have their origins in the Chinese cuisines.
