Thai Pork Basil Skewers

Name: Thai Pork Basil Skewers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1.5 inch turmeric (knob peeled and sliced (or 1 heaping teaspoon ground dried turmeric)); 1 inch ginger (knob peeled and sliced (or 1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger) ); 3/4 cup onion (or 1 small onion chopped (can exchange with shallots, if you like)); 2 cloves garlic ( peeled and bashed); 1/4 cup fish sauce; 2 tbsp coconut oil; 1.5 pounds pork tenderloin; 10-12 wooden skewers (soak in water for 1/2 hour before using); 1 tbsp Thai holy basil ((holy basil) chopped or can use regular basil); 1 tbsp cilantro ((coriander) chopped); 2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tsp sugar (or sugar alternative - (brown sugar or sugar alternative if diabetic)); 4 tbsp lime juice; 1 clove garlic (peeled and minced); chili (to taste (fresh Thai bird chilis pack their punch in heat)); limes (optional); chili (optional); green onions or cilantro (optional)

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Our Thai Pork Basil Skewers are the BEST grilled Thai street food on a stick. It's made with a vibrant turmeric marinade and served with a Prik Nam Pla sauce that will tantalize your taste buds.

Grilled Thai Pork Tenderloins on a white plate.

The Other White Meat!

You are going to just love this dish! Our easy Pork Skewers are melt in your mouth tender. Thai Cuisine is a great idea for a summer grilling and chilling entertaining. It is light, bright and is always a crowd pleaser.

The "other white meat" is sometimes overlooked in the grilling scene. However, if you have ever tried our Bacon Wrapped Sausage Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, you know we are on to something delicious.

These Asian pork kabobs are super aromatic from the spices and herbs. Once, you dip a slice into our Thai Basil Dipping sauce, you will be hooked. We can't wait for you to take your first bite.

Perfectly tender grill pork tenderloins on skewers with prik nam pla sauce in wooden bowls.

The Special Marinade

The secret for success in making authentic Thai pork basil recipe is in the marinade. If you marinate pork tenderloin overnight, your skewers will be even more tender and flavorful. The delightful bath of turmeric, ginger, onion, garlic and fish sauce are going to make your taste buds sing.

Did you know that turmeric, ginger, onion and garlic are all warming spices? They pair nicely with the Thai basil and cilantro lime dipping sauce. Marinating your proteins like in our Green Chicken Kabab Recipe tenderizes the meat and infuses flavor. It uses all the lovely fresh herbs and spices of the summer season.

Spoonful of turmeric marinade over the food processor.

Get Turmeric in your Spice Drawer

If you do not have turmeric in your spice drawer, you need to get that sorted as soon as possible. You are missing out on so many delicious dishes and positive therapeutic effects. According to NIH, Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants and lowers your risk of heart disease.

However, our favorite reason for using turmeric is the bright yellow-orange color it gives to curries and our Thai spicy basil pork skewers. We also love the warming turmeric in our Turmeric Vegetable Medley, Easy Moroccan Ground Lamb Stew and our Golden Spiced Noodle Soup.

Fresh turmeric root and a chili pepper on a wooden cutting board.

Cleaning up after a Turmeric Incident

However, there is one small warning when using turmeric. Turmeric can stain clothes, kitchen counters, finger nails and even utensils if you do not clean them right away. We don't normally wear an apron in the kitchen but when we am cooking with turmeric, we do. In addition, we wear disposable gloves whilst we thread the marinated pork on the skewers - unless you like yellow nails.

So how do you get turmeric off the countertop and clothes... bleach is the answer to that one.

Equipment

We used a food processor to make this delicious golden pork marinade. We blended onions, ginger, turmeric, garlic, coconut oil and fish sauce into a marinade. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a mortar and pestle.

Marinating the pork tenderloins overnight, will make turmeric pork basil skewers super tender and flavorful.

Perfectly cooked skewers garnished with chilis and prik nam pla on the side and limes.

Thai Basil Dipping Sauce

Now on to this delightful Thai basil dipping sauce. Thai basil is just a beautiful herb and it has an anise like scent. However, we know this herb is difficult to come by anywhere else, if you live outside of Asia.

Therefore, just swap out Thai basil for just plain ordinary Italian basil. Our dipping sauce is just as beautiful either way. This dipping sauce is very similar to our Prik Nam Pla - The Incredible Thai Table Condiment. The only difference is that we swapped out Thai Basil for cilantro and green onions.

Balancing the Flavors

Thailand flavors always hold the balance of sweet, sour, savory and spicy. The only way you know if you hit the balance correctly, is to taste for yourself. We have really taken interest in really taking the time to be in the moment and practice mindful eating as a way to truly enjoy our food. Try this technique while you are taste testing.

Some people like the sauce more spicy, some more sweet and some more sour or salty. We like ours slightly spicy. However, the boys love it super spicy so we make a mild and a spicy version for the table. If you are new to Thai Cuisine, be sure to check our our Essential Thai Herbs and Spices article.

Recipe Exchanges and Substitutions

You can make the dipping sauce diabetic friendly by exchanging out brown sugar with a sugar alternative. If you need to watch your sodium intake, hold the fish sauce in the turmeric pork basil marinade. Instead, use a little Mrs. Dash or dried chili flakes in the grilling process.

Feel free to swap our the pork with chicken or even mushrooms and vegetables to keep it vegan.

Thai Cuisine Side Dishes

These are some of our favorite side dishes to serve with our kabobs.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

How to get Turmeric stains off countertops and plates?

Each type of counter top surface will have a different specification on what can be used to lift a stain. Bleach water will usually lift the turmeric stain right off of most surfaces that you are allowed to use bleach on. However, to be safe, start with a little baking soda and water and with a gentle circular motion and see if the stain lifts. Adding a little lemon or vinegar might help as well. However, if you have marble, then maybe a solution of 12% hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia will do the trick.

If you get turmeric on your clothes, treat it right away. First, rinse in cold water and then a little stain remover, lemon juice or vinegar and soak to remove turmeric stain.

We wear kitchen gloves to prevent the staining of our hands and finger nails while working placing turmeric pork on skewers.

What is a good Thai Basil substitute?

You can exchange with sweet Italian basil.

What can I use if I do not have a blender or food processor

Chop all of your ingredients finely and then use a mortar and pestle to make a paste.

More Delicious Recipes with Turmeric

Easy Spiced Golden Milk

Golden Spiced Noodle Soup

Turmeric Vegetable Medley

Roasted Turmeric Spiced Turkey Breast

Easy Moroccan Ground Lamb Stew

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Curry

Recipe Featured in Low Sugar Living

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