Soups · Thailand

How Many Calories in Jok?

Also known as โจ๊ก, โจ๊กหมู, Joke, Thai Congee, Jok Moo Sai Kai.

Thai congee: rice broken down to a smooth porridge, with minced pork balls, a soft egg cracked in, ginger threads, spring onion, white pepper and a splash of soy. The 30 to 45 baht breakfast at every morning market, often with a pair of pa tong go for dipping.

250kcal / 1 bowl with egg
A 400g bowl of jok moo sai kai (pork congee with egg) is about 250 calories, matching the Thai table figure of 250 per cup with egg. Without the egg it is about 160. The congee base is around 130 calories, the pork balls 55, the egg 70 and the toppings about 5. A pair of pa tong go on the side adds 124.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 bowl with egg (400g)AmountPer 100g
Calories250 kcal63 kcal
Protein14 g4 g
Carbs30 g8 g
Fat8 g2 g

Where the calories come from

Rice congee280g
130 kcal
Minced pork balls35g
55 kcal
Egg50g
70 kcal
Ginger, spring onion, pepper, soy sauce15g
5 kcal

The real talk

Jok is even thinner than khao tom. The rice is cooked until it breaks apart completely, so a 300g ladle of congee only holds about 35g of dry rice, or roughly 130 calories. That is why a full bowl with pork and egg comes in at 250, lower than almost any other Thai breakfast. Jok moo without egg is 160 in the Thai tables, about the same as a cup of milk tea.

The pork is minced and rolled into small balls, about 35g per bowl and 55 calories. The egg cracked in adds 70 calories and 6g of protein, so a bowl with egg reaches about 14g of protein. That is not a lot, which is why jok stalls also sell kai yiao ma (century egg), pork liver and extra pork balls. Each extra portion of pork balls is 55 calories; a century egg is 80.

The number that matters is the pa tong go. Jok on its own is 250 calories. Jok with a pair of fried dough sticks is 375. Jok with two pairs, which is what many people actually eat, is 500 and half of it is fried flour. If you want the crunch, one pair is plenty. The other add on to watch is the drizzle of garlic oil at some shops, about 30 calories.

How the portions compare

160 kcal
Jok moo, no egg
250 kcal
Standard bowl with egg
450 kcal
With egg, century egg and a pair of pa tong go

Jok variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Jok moo (pork, no egg)160 kcalThe hdmall figure per cup
Jok moo sai kai (with egg)250 kcalThe standard order
Jok moo with century egg330 kcalEgg plus kai yiao ma
Jok with pa tong go375 kcalPlus one pair of fried dough

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

Is jok healthy for breakfast?
At 250 calories a bowl with egg and 14g of protein, it is one of the lighter Thai breakfasts. The pa tong go on the side is the part to limit; each pair is 124 calories.
Jok vs khao tom, which is lower in calories?
Jok. A bowl of jok with egg is about 250 against 300 for khao tom moo, because the congee is thinner and has less rice per bowl.
How many calories in jok without pork?
Plain jok is about 130 to 150 calories a bowl. Add an egg and it is around 200.

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical street stall or food court serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on hdmall.co.th and health.kapook.com Thai calorie tables: jok moo 1 cup = 160 kcal, jok sai kai (with egg) 1 cup = 250 kcal. Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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