Lechon kawali
Lechon kawali: twice-cooked pork belly, simmered tender then deep-fried until the skin crackles
Lechon kawali is pork belly, boiled with garlic and bay, dried, then fried in a wok (kawali) until the rind blisters into crackling. It is the everyday cousin of the whole roast pig: Manila carinderias sell it by the slice at lunchtime, and home cooks make it for weekend lunches all over Luzon. Each piece should be shatteringly crisp on top and juicy underneath. Serve it chopped with rice and a sharp garlic-vinegar dip, or with the sweet liver sauce sold in jars. Chef's tip: after boiling, leave the belly uncovered in the fridge overnight; a bone-dry rind puffs up and spits far less in the oil.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pork
For the vinegar dip (sawsawan)
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb skin-on pork belly in a pot with 8 ¼ cups water, 1 bulb garlic, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 1 tbsp salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently with the lid on for 50–60 minutes, until a skewer slides easily into the meat.
60 minStep 2: Lift the pork out, pat it very dry with kitchen paper and lay it skin-up on a rack. Chill uncovered for at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the rind dries out. Don't leave it to dry on the counter.
5 minStep 3: Mix ½ cup cane or coconut vinegar, 4 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, 2 bird's-eye chillies and ¼ tsp black pepper in a small bowl and leave to infuse while the pork dries.
3 minStep 4: Cut the pork into 2–3 large pieces and pat dry again. Any water on the surface makes hot oil spit, so this step matters.
3 minStep 5: Heat 6 ¼ cups vegetable oil for deep-frying in a deep, heavy pot or wok, filled no more than a third full, to 350°F. Keep a lid and dry long tongs nearby, children and pets away, and never leave hot oil alone.
10 minStep 6: Lower the pork in skin-side down, away from you, and partly cover with a lid or splatter guard. Fry for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until the rind is blistered and deep golden and the meat reads at least 160°F in the thickest part. A common mistake is frying straight from wet: dry pork never crisps and the oil boils over.
10 minStep 7: Drain on a rack for 5 minutes so the crackling stays crisp, then chop into bite-sized pieces with a heavy knife. Serve hot with the vinegar dip and 4 portions steamed white rice. Let the oil cool completely before you move or strain it.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 63 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lechon kawali take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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