Lechon Kawali

Lechon Kawali is a crispy deep-fried pork belly. The pork belly is boiled in water to ensure that the meat is cooked through and cooled overnight in the refrigerator before deep frying until golden and crispy.

It is usually accompanied with papaya achara (pickled papaya) and Mang Tomas lechon sauce or home-made spicy vinegar also known as sinamakan in Ilonggo.

Boiling the pork first with garlic, lemongrass, bay leaves, whole peppercorns and soy sauce adds flavor and aroma to the meat.

When draining the meat, I find it much better to leave the boiled pork belly in the refrigerator uncovered overnight.

Turbo Lechon Kawali with Ensaladang Talong for dinner

Note: This is the no-fry version of Lechon Kawali. With this Lechon Kawali recipe, I used a turbo broiler.

Using a turbo broiler allows the heat to circulate around and it cooks the meat or even a Lechon Manok perfectly. Sort of a healthier version and lot less greasy.

Turbo Broilers are gaining in popularity with many home cook meals specially in Filipino household. Instead of using a regular oven or grilling, I normally uses my turbo broiler when broiling bangus or in making lechon manok. It saves me time and makes my cooking more healthier.

Check related recipes below. Click on the name link below the picture to see complete recipe.

Ingredients

4 lbs pork belly or bone-in pork belly
10 cloves garlic, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 stalk lemongrass
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp salt
2 tsp soy sauce
water

Instructions

In a wok, combine water, salt, pork belly, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, lemongrass and soy sauce. Pour enough water to cover the pork and bring into a quick boil. Cover wok and lower heat to simmer for at least an hour on each side. Continue to simmer until pork is fork tender but not too soft.
Drain the boiled pork belly and allow to cool for few hours. Refrigerate overnight uncovered.
Pre-heat turbo broiler at 375. Place boiled pork belly skin down first and broil for an hour. Flip the pork belly skin side up and broil for another hour.
Remove the pork belly, set it aside to drain for 10 minutes then cut and serve. Serve with Mang Tomas lechon sauce or some home-made Filipino style spicy vinegar. Enjoy!