Lechon kawali, sometimes called pan-roasted pork, differs from lechon, the iconic Filipino roast pig and national dish of the Philippines.
While lechon is roasted over glowing charcoal in a pit, lechon kawali is prepared by first boiling and then frying a cut of pork (usually pork belly)
What is Lechon Kawali?
The simplest way to describe lechon kawali is as a kind of crispy pork. It is usually made with pork belly, or liempo.
It is best served for lunch or dinner alongside white rice, and is especially good with a dipping sauce.
Do not confuse it with lechon, which is considered the national dish of the Philippines. The two dishes are prepared differently and look distinct.
Lechon kawali takes its name from the kawali, the pan traditionally used to cook it. This pan is found in almost every Filipino household and is the “must-have” pan for everyday cooking… as you can see in the image above, it is basically a wok.
The main ingredients of Lechon Kawali
Pork belly: Use fresh, unsmoked, unsalted pork belly, ideally in one large slab.
The rice vinegar: Essential for the acidity of the dip (called sawsawan), though you can also use cane vinegar as in chicken adobo
Light soy sauce : If you can find Filipino soy sauce, use it; however, it is quite rare, even in Asian grocery stores
Authentic Filipino Lechon Kawali
Matériel
- 1 Wok
Ingredients
- 1 kg unsalted pork belly
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
- 5 leaves dried bay leaves
- 1 L frying oil
- 1 L water enough to cover the pork
- 1 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- Optional: one red chili
For the sawsawan dipping sauce
- 120 ml rice vinegar
- 3 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 45 g brown sugar
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 1 gousse garlic minced
- 1 red chili minced, optional
- 0.5 tablespoons water
Procédé
For the dipping sauce
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Let it sit for 30 minutes, or ideally overnight. Taste and adjust. Add more sugar or water to taste, starting with 1 teaspoon at a time. Note that water will help mellow the acidity of the sauce—use less if you prefer.
- Pour into an airtight glass container and store in the refrigerator until needed.
For the pork
- Place the water in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Add the pork belly and 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, soy sauce, and chili as well. Boil for 30 minutes or until the meat becomes tender.
- Remove the meat from the pot and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Rub 1 tablespoon of salt over the pork belly, making sure to distribute it evenly over all sections, including the skin.
- Begin frying the boiled meat. First, heat the oil in a wok or deep pan.
- Carefully place each piece of boiled pork belly into the hot oil and fry until crisp. Turn the meat to fry both sides evenly.
- Remove the meat from the pot. If possible, set it on a rack to cool (otherwise, on a plate lined with paper towels). Slice to your desired portion size.
