ChaiyoThai Mookata 3.81

Mookata is a Thai barbeque steamboat that has been firing up in Singapore during the recent years.

‘Mookata’ loosely translates from Thai meaning ‘pork’ and ‘skillet’. It originated from Northern Thailand, though one may argue how the interesting ‘domed shape hotpot’ came about. I liked the origin story about how the soldiers in Chiang Mai grilled meat using their helmets, eventually creating a metal domed shaped hotpot we see today.

To eat Mookata, first one has to lather the pork lard provided (Yes, not butter or oil but pork lard) to grease the metal skillet, which you then use to grill the meats. The surface eventually gets really charred though. Simple soup is also poured into the moat surrounding the skillet. Traditional Mookata in Thailand just use plain water, but the version in Singaore has been tweaked to use flavoured broth.

The lightness of the soup allows the broth to easily take up the essences of the grilled meat juice that flow down, mixing together with the boiled vegetables in the broth to create a flavourful and rich taste in the soup.