Stir-fried Pork Belly with Morning Glory

After a 9–5 day, I don’t always have the energy for complicated cooking, but I still want something fresh, tasty, and satisfying. That’s why I love recreating Thai-style crispy pork belly with morning glory (Pad Pak Boong Moo Krob). Traditionally, it takes time and effort to get the pork belly skin perfectly crackly, but I’ve found a quicker way that still gives you golden, crispy bites paired with garlicky greens.

This dish is all about balance—the richness of the pork belly against the freshness of morning glory ( or water spinach) , all tied together with chili, garlic, and savory sauces. Simple enough for a busy weeknight,still feels like a special treat with a bowl of rice and a fried egg on top.

Check out my Video here.

Ingredients (2 servings):

• 2 thinly cut pork belly pieces

• 1 slice ginger + 1 scallion (for boiling)

• 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp salt + 1 splash vinegar

• 1 bunch morning glory (water spinach), trimmed

• 2–3 garlic cloves

• 1–2 fresh chilies

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• ½ tsp sugar ( better with palm sugar)

• Cooking oil

Method:

1. Boil the pork belly: In hot water, add ginger, scallion, sugar, salt, and vinegar. Cook pork belly on medium heat for 20–30 minutes until tender, the meat all cooked through.

2. Crisp the pork belly: Heat oil in a pan, then slowly pan-sear each side of the pork belly over very low heat. Keep flipping until golden and crispy (about 45 minutes total). Cut into bite-sized cubes.

3. Pound garlic & chili: For more flavor, use a mortar and pestle to roughly pound garlic and chili together. This helps release natural oils and makes the sauce more aromatic.

4. Stir-fry the sauce: In a hot pan, sauté garlic and chili until fragrant. Add pork belly cubes, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.

5. Add the greens: Toss in morning glory and stir-fry quickly, adding a splash of water if needed to help it cook through.

6. Serve: Plate up with rice bowl with pork belly, and top with a fried egg

Cook pork belly in boiling water

Pound chillies, garlic

Pork bellu after cooked through

Fry it all sides on cooking pan ( slow heat)

It turns golden and still crispy on the skin

Saute crispy pork belly with chilli, garlic and sauce

Saute morning glory together

Additional fry egg

My dinner is ready !