Mookata is very popular in Thailand as a social dining experience, often enjoyed at outdoor restaurants or night markets where groups gather around the shared grill. The meal format encourages conversation and bonding as people cook and eat together.

A Thai mookata (หมูกะทะ) is a unique hybrid cooking device and dining experience that combines Korean BBQ and Chinese hotpot. The word "mookata" comes from "moo" meaning pork and "kata" meaning pan in Thai.

The mookata equipment consists of a dome-shaped metal pan with a raised center grill surrounded by a moat-like soup trough. The dome is traditionally greased with pork fat, though other fats can be used. The design allows diners to:

Grill meats and vegetables on the raised grill in the centre
Simultaneously cook ingredients in the surrounding soup broth
Let the meat juices and fats drip down from the grill to flavour the soup

Typical ingredients include:

Thinly sliced pork, beef, chicken, and seafood
Various vegetables like morning glory, cabbage, and mushrooms
Glass noodles
Eggs
Variety of dipping sauces (often spicy and garlicky)