Nakhon Pathom’s famous Khao Moo Daeng wins cultural wisdom heritage status
The Cultural Promotion Department has recognised Khao Moo Daeng, Nakhon Pathom’s famed dish of pork with rice, as a cultural wisdom heritage of Thailand because of its unique style and flavour.
The department published its announcement in the Royal Gazette on January 29, naming the dish as one of 18 cultural wisdom heritage items recognised in 2023.
The announcement said that all 18 items were selected by the committee in charge of promoting and conserving cultural wisdom on December 14.
Khao Moo Daeng, which literally translates as “red pork rice”, is popular all over Thailand but Nakhon Pathom is famous for its unique version.
Culture experts said the Nakhon Pathom recipe of rice topped with roasted pork in a red sauce was invented by a Chinese community who migrated from Chaozhou over 70 years ago and raised pigs.
Food experts say the sauce in the Nakhon Pathom recipe is also special. It’s typically a sweet and savoury gravy made with soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and other spices. Some versions also include fermented red tofu (nam dok) for a deeper umami flavor.
The dish is traditionally served with jasmine rice, which is known for its fragrant and slightly sticky texture.
The recognition created a massive demand for the dish among locals, tourists and foods critics, with food vendors at the night market at the Phra Pathom Chedi stupa reporting an increase in orders.
A patron, Prateep, 70, said he liked to eat Khao Moo Daeng at a shop at the night market because the shop was among the few vendors that sold the dish at night.
Prateep said the sauce at his regular shop was unique and delicious and he believed Nakhon Pathom’s Khao Moo Daeng was the best in Thailand.
