KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 29 -- Kao kha moo or stewed pork leg rice is a popular Thai street food. In Bangkok, nearly every soi (street) will have a stall or motorcycle vendor offering this salty-sweet and collagen-rich dish with hot steamed rice, some greens and pickles, and a braised egg.

A Thai Chinese friend told me that kao kha moo is a hallmark of Thai Chinese cuisine, specifically the culinary import of Teochews who migrated to Thailand centuries ago. (He is of Teochew descent himself, so I'd trust his opinion.)

Kao kha moo is not a quick dish to eat (nor, indeed, to make, requiring as it does hours of slow simmering). Which makes it an easy dish to miss for tourists who prefer the grab-and-go convenience of moo ping (pork skewers) or p...