Crispy pork belly or lechon kawali is a famous Filipino dish. It is served as an appetizer or a main dish. It is best eaten with plain or garlic rice and pickled papaya (atchara).

For a healthier dish, you may opt to cook it in the oven. After boiling the meat, you can cook it in the oven (220F) for 30-45 minutes or until the skin becomes crisp. In this case, let it stand for 10-15 minutes to let the juices of the meat settle.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kilos pork belly

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 laurel leaves (bay leaves)

1 teaspoon peppercorns

Salt

Water, for boiling

Oil (for frying)

Liver sauce:

1 small can liver paste

2 tbsp oil

8 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp finely chopped onions

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tsp black pepper, ground

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

Soy-Vinegar sauce:

3 tablespoons soy sauce

5 tablespoons vinegar

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 chili peppers (optional)

First, wash the pork belly. Place it in a pot with water, salt, bay leaves and pepper. Boil the meat for 30-45 minutes or until it is soft.

While waiting for the meat, prepare the sauce. To prepare the soy-vinegar sauce, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, minced onions and minced garlic in a bowl and mix well. Add chili if desired. Set aside.

You can also make liver sauce by heating some oil in a small pan over medium low heat. Sauté the garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes until the onions become translucent. Add the liver paste and mix well. Pour water gradually while mixing. Stir in the vinegar and sugar. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes before adding the bread crumbs. Stir the mixture occasionally until the sauce thickens. Set aside.

Once the meat is cooked, pat it dry with paper towels. Deep fry it in hot oil for 10-15 minutes or until it is golden brown or until blisters appear on the skin. Keep the flame at medium-low heat to avoid burning the meat.

Transfer the pork belly to a colander or a plate with table napkins to drain excess oil. Chop it into bite sized pieces and serve with desired dipping sauce.

*For best results, freeze the pork belly overnight and deep fry while it is frozen; no need to thaw.  Some also say that marinating the meat in lard or cooking oil an hour or 2 before frying makes the skin crispier.

Photo Courtesy Of: gsz