How to make lechon kawali – Filipino-style crispy pork belly simmered, air-dried then deep-fried, and served with a spicy tart sauce
- Lechon kawali is an easier, deep-fried version of a Filipino whole roast young pig dish, made using pork belly
- The pork belly is first simmered, then dried in a fridge for eight hours, before being deep-fried twice
The Philippines is heaven for pork lovers. Probably the most impressive dish is lechon, where a young pig is roasted whole until the meat is succulent and the skin is crisp, then served as the centrepiece to a feast.
But pork is used in many other dishes, and no part of the animal is wasted: the blood and innards are made into dinuguan, a stew which is far more delicious than it looks; the head and other extremities left over from lechon can be chopped up and used for sisig; the meat is used to flavour vegetables; and, of course, one of the most popular versions of adobo is made with pork belly.
Lechon kawali
It’s a bit messy – and you have to take care because the hot oil can spit everywhere – but at least it doesn’t require having a barbecue pit.
Choose a skin-on piece of pork belly that weighs about 1kg (35oz) – the layers of fat should not be too thick. Start the lechon the day before you want to eat it, to give the meat time to air-dry in the fridge.
Ingredients:
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1 piece of skin-on pork belly, about 1kg (35oz)
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Fine sea salt, as necessary
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2 tbsp black peppercorns
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1 head of garlic
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1 onion, about 275 grams (9½ oz), peeled
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3 bay leaves
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White vinegar, for brushing
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Cooking oil, as necessary