Lechon Kawali

Crunchy, fried, golden brown and juicy pork belly, lechon kawali, is a pinoy favorite and can be mixed with different dishes- think pinakbet, paksiw na lechon, or pork monggo. That nice crunchy texture will kick these dishes up a notch. We also like matching it with some hot bagoong rice, sliced tomatoes and cucumber. There are a handful of condiments to choose from: vinegar with chili, toyomansi, Mang Tomas, and even that A1 Steak Sauce.

Cooking lechon kawali may seem daunting- for me anything fried, hot-oil-splattering can be intimidating. But this recipe is too good to pass up all you need is a thick-bottomed pan, and a large grease splatter screen to prevent any minor burns. Make sure to boil the meat until the skin is tender and can be pierced easily with a fork. After boiling, the meat needs to be dried to keep oil splatters to a minimum. Fry at 350 F to get the skin crunchy quickly while the meat stays juicy, or fry at a lower temperature longer and get a more “tostado” or drier meat.