Minced pork toast — known in Thailand as Kanom Pang Na Moo — is baguette slices topped with a seasoned ground pork mixture and deep-fried until the bread is crisp and the meat is cooked through. It takes about 15 minutes of active work plus an hour of marinating, and the ingredient list is short enough that most of it is probably already in your kitchen. This is a solid party appetizer that costs very little to make.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, the coriander root–garlic–pepper paste is the flavor engine of the whole dish. Crushing these three ingredients together — rather than adding them separately — releases their oils and creates a cohesive base that seasons the pork all the way through during the marinade hour. If you can’t find coriander roots, use the bottom inch of cilantro stems; the flavor is close enough. Second, the egg dip before frying seals the pork onto the bread and gives the crust its color. Skip it and the meat can separate from the bread in the oil. The pork must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — a minute or two per side in medium-high oil handles this reliably, but check the first batch with a thermometer so you know your oil and pan are dialed in.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using fresh sandwich bread straight from the bag. Soft, moist bread absorbs too much oil and turns greasy. Leave slices out uncovered for 30–60 minutes to dry out slightly, or use day-old bread. A baguette that’s a day old works better than a fresh one here.
- Spreading the pork too thin at the edges. Thin edges cook faster than the center and can burn before the middle is done. Keep the edges at least 5mm thick, even if the center is slightly mounded.
- Oil that isn’t hot enough before the first batch goes in. Cool oil means the bread soaks before a crust forms. Test with a small bread scrap — it should sizzle immediately and float. If it sinks and sits, wait longer.
- Crowding the pan. Too many pieces drop the oil temperature fast. Fry in small batches and let the oil recover between them. Three or four pieces at a time is enough for a standard wok.
- Substituting cornstarch for cornflour without adjusting quantity. They’re the same thing — no adjustment needed. But if you use plain flour instead, use the same amount; it still binds the mixture, just with a slightly less glossy finish.
Make-ahead notes
You can assemble the topped, unfried bread slices up to 4 hours ahead — lay them on a parchment-lined tray, cover loosely, and refrigerate. Don’t egg-dip them until you’re ready to fry or the bread gets soggy. The raw marinated pork mixture on its own keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours, which is useful if you want to spread the work across two days. Fried toast is best eaten within 20 minutes; it goes soft as it sits. If you do need to reheat leftovers, a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side brings back more crunch than a microwave ever will — skip the oven unless you’re reheating a large batch, in which case 375°F (190°C) for 6–8 minutes on a wire rack works reasonably well.
Kanom Pang Na Moo: Crispy Thai Pork Toast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 long baguette - sliced 1.5 cm thick
½ pound ground pork - minced pork, about 225g- 2 teaspoons coriander roots - crushed
2 teaspoons garlic - about 2 cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch - cornflour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 medium eggs
2 teaspoons sesame seeds - for decoration
3 leaves cilantro (coriander) - coriander, for decoration
2 small red chili (red chilli in British English) - for decoration
1 cup vegetable oil - 240ml, for deep frying — more may be needed depending on wok size
Instructions
- Crush the coriander roots, garlic, and black pepper together using a mortar and pestle (or food processor) until you have a thick, aromatic paste. In a bowl, combine the ground pork with the paste, salt, soy sauce, half of one lightly beaten egg, and cornstarch. Mix well, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.1/2 pound ground pork, 2 teaspoons coriander roots, 2 teaspoons garlic, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 medium eggs
- Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the marinated pork mixture onto each baguette slice, mounding it slightly higher in the centre and pressing the edges flat so the meat stays attached during frying. Decorate the top of each with a few sesame seeds, a cilantro leaf, or a thin slice of red chilli.1 long baguette, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, 3 leaves cilantro (coriander), 2 small red chili (red chilli in British English)
- Lightly beat the remaining 1½ eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip each topped baguette slice meat-side down into the egg, then set aside on a parchment-lined baking sheet.2 medium eggs
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan to 340–350°F / 170–175°C over medium-high heat. Working in batches of 3–4 pieces, carefully lower the toast into the oil meat-side down. Fry for 1½–2 minutes until the pork is golden, then flip and fry the bread side for 1–1½ minutes until crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C. Serve warm with Ar-jad (Thai cucumber relish) dipping sauce.1 cup vegetable oil
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use regular sliced white bread instead of a baguette?
Yes, white sandwich bread works fine — cut off the crusts and halve each slice so the pieces are manageable. The texture will be slightly softer than baguette, so make sure the bread is a day old or dried out before you top it.
I don’t have coriander roots. What can I use?
Use the bottom inch of cilantro stems — they carry most of the same flavor as the roots. You’ll need roughly the same quantity; just chop them finely before crushing with the garlic and pepper.
Can I make this in an air fryer to use less oil?
You can, but the result is noticeably different — the crust is drier and less even, and the pork can dry out before the bread crisps properly. Deep-frying is genuinely better here; if oil use is a concern, a shallow fry in about half an inch of oil in a skillet is a reasonable middle ground.
How do I know the pork is fully cooked inside?
Ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C) — use an instant-read thermometer on the first batch to confirm your timing. At medium-high heat, a few minutes per side is usually enough, but bread thickness and oil temperature both affect this, so check rather than guess.
I don’t have Ar-jad ingredients on hand. What else can I serve this with?
Sweet chili sauce from a bottle is the easiest swap and pairs well with the savory pork. A simple mix of rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and a few chili flakes also works if you have those pantry staples and want something closer to the original.
Try these next
- Crispy Pork Dumpling Delight
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
