Sticky Thai Pork

Name: Sticky Thai Pork
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 15 ml Peanut Oil; 500 g Pork Mince (18% Fat); 3 Garlic Cloves (Sliced); 90 g Palm Sugar; 37.5 ml Fish Sauce; 6 Lime Leaves (Thinly Sliced); 80 g Unsalted Peanuts (Chopped); 60 g Fried Shallots (Optional); 20 g Coriander (Cilantro) (Chopped); ½ Lime (Juiced); 1 Long Red Chilli (Sliced); Coriander (Cilantro) (Garnish); Fried Shallots (Garnish); 15 ml Peanut Oil; 8 Broccolini (Trimmed); 1 Bok Choy (Washed & Sliced); Salt & Pepper (To Taste); 5 ml Sesame Oil (Optional)

PREP

10 mins

COOK

15 mins

SERVES

DIFFICULTY

Medium

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Chef Jack Ovens

Qualified Chef · 1.63M Subscribers

Updated August 2026

This one comes together fast, but it doesn’t skimp on flavour. Pork mince fried until properly browned, tossed through a sticky palm sugar and fish sauce glaze, with makrut lime leaves running through the sauce for that distinct citrus edge.

Holding back some of the peanuts and fried shallots until the very end keeps them properly crunchy, rather than letting them go soft sitting in the hot sauce. It’s a small step that makes a real difference to the texture.

Served over charred broccolini and bok choy, with fresh chilli, coriander, and a squeeze of lime. Ready in 25 minutes, start to finish.

Sticky Thai Pork

PORK · DINNER · MEDIUM

Why You'll Love This Sticky Thai Pork

Fast, punchy, and properly sticky

Letting the palm sugar and fish sauce reduce until it's visibly thickened before the pork goes back in is what gives you that glossy, sticky coating instead of a thin, watery sauce.

Holding back some of the peanuts and fried shallots until the very end keeps their crunch intact, so every bite has some proper texture against the sticky pork.

The charred broccolini and bok choy underneath aren't an afterthought either — cooked hot and fast, they hold their own against all that sticky, punchy flavour on top.

Sticky Thai Pork

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Calories: 418kcal

Servings: People

Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

Pork & Sauce

15 ml Peanut Oil
500 g Pork Mince 18% Fat
3 Garlic Cloves Sliced
90 g Palm Sugar
37.5 ml Fish Sauce
6 Lime Leaves Thinly Sliced
80 g Unsalted Peanuts Chopped
60 g Fried Shallots Optional
20 g Coriander (Cilantro) Chopped
½ Lime Juiced
1 Long Red Chilli Sliced
Coriander (Cilantro) Garnish
Fried Shallots Garnish

Vegetables

15 ml Peanut Oil
8 Broccolini Trimmed
1 Bok Choy Washed & Sliced
Salt & Pepper To Taste
5 ml Sesame Oil Optional

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Spread the peanuts onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and roughly chop. Set aside.
Place a wok over high heat. Once hot, add the peanut oil and pork mince and fry for 4 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until no longer pink and it reaches an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F). Add the sliced garlic and fry for 1 minute. Remove and place into a bowl for the time being.
Place the wok back over medium-high heat, add the palm sugar (or brown sugar), fish sauce and lime leaves. Mix to combine and melt the sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally for 1 minute or until slightly reduced and thickened. Add the pork and garlic mix into the sauce along with ¾ of the roasted, chopped peanuts and ¾ of the fried shallots, mix to combine, and fry for 1 minute. Add the coriander, lime juice, and the remaining peanuts and fried shallots. Turn off the heat, mix to combine, and remove from the stovetop.

Vegetables

Place a pan over high heat. Once hot, add the peanut oil, broccolini and sea salt flakes to taste, and sauté for 3 minutes or until slightly soft and browned. Add the bok choy and sauté for 2 minutes or until slightly soft and wilted. Turn off the heat, add the sesame oil (optional), check for seasoning, and remove from the stovetop.

Serving

Place the sautéed vegetables onto a plate, serve the sticky pork over the top, and garnish with chilli, coriander, a sprinkle of fried shallots, and lime wedges. Dig in.

Chef's Tips

Let the sugar mixture come to a full boil and reduce until visibly thickened before adding the pork back in — this is what gives the dish its sticky, glossy coating rather than a thin, watery sauce.

The method holds back a portion of the peanuts and fried shallots until the very end — adding them off the heat keeps their crunch instead of letting them go soft in the hot sauce.

Cook the vegetables in a very hot pan without overcrowding it — this is what gives the broccolini and pak choy some char rather than steaming them.

Storage & Reheating

The pork will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in a wok or pan over medium heat until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. The sautéed vegetables and garnishes (peanuts, fried shallots, coriander) are best made fresh and don't reheat well — cook these fresh if prepping the pork ahead.

Serving 320gCalories 418kcalCarbohydrates 36.6gProtein 34.4gFat 16.2gSaturated Fat 2.7gPolyunsaturated Fat 4.45gMonounsaturated Fat 7.73gCholesterol 81.3mgSodium 1029.7mgPotassium 933.8mgFiber 4.4gSugar 26.9gVitamin A 364.24IUVitamin C 54.78mgCalcium 82mgIron 2.6mg

Common Questions

What can I use instead of makrut lime leaves?⌄

A strip of lime zest is the closest substitute if you can't find them fresh or frozen. It won't have quite the same distinct aroma, but it'll still bring a good citrus note to the sauce.

Why is my sauce runny instead of sticky?⌄

This usually means the sugar mixture wasn't reduced long enough before the pork went back in. Let it come to a full boil and reduce until it's visibly thickened — that's what gives you the glossy, sticky texture.

Can I use chicken mince instead of pork?⌄

Yes, it works well here. Just make sure it's cooked through to 74°C (165°F) rather than the 71°C (160°F) used for the pork, since poultry needs the higher temperature.

Can I make the pork ahead of time?⌄

Yes, the pork keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. The vegetables and garnishes don't reheat well though, so cook those fresh when you're ready to serve.

Sticky Thai Pork

Sticky Thai Pork

Fast, punchy, and properly sticky