LECHON KAWALI FILIPINO RECIPE HOW TO COOK TUTORIAL

While Litson (or Lechon) Baboy refers to the whole roasted pig that is served for fiestas and special occasions, Litson Kawali is an everyday dish that Filipinos love to cook and eat. The pork is first simmered for twenty minutes and then it is flash-fried in oil to give it a crunch.

Sometimes, I’ll fry it the day before I serve it and then fry it one more time just before it’s served to make it even crunchier. It’s the Lechon Sauce that makes this dish a Filipino favorite.

Place the pork and water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil. Add the garlic, bay leaf, pepper and salt and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the meat is done. Drain the pork and discard the water and discard the water. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, and cut into serving pieces.

Heat a small saucepan or wok over high heat and add the oil. Use a wooden chopstick or skewer to check if the oil is hot enough. When it’s hot enough, bubbles will form all around the stick. (Or use a deep-fryer thermometer to read the temperature, which should be between 350° and 375°F or 175° and 190°C when ready.)

Reduce the heat to medium once it reaches the desired temperature so that the oil doesn’t burn. Add a couple of pieces of pork at a time and deep-fry until brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan. Blisters should appear on the skin. Remove the pork and drain on paper towels.

To make the Lechon Sauce, heat a saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic until lightly browned. Add the Liver Paste, sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, salt and pepper and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Serve the pork with the Lechon Sauce and hot steamed rice.

Serves 4 to 6 
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes

2 lbs (1 kg) pork belly (or “side pork”) or shoulder, preferably with skin on
8 cups (2 liters) water
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of knife
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (500 ml) oil, for deep-frying
Lechon Sauce (Makes about 1 1/2 cups/375 ml)
1 cup (200 g) Liver Paste (page 23)
1 tablespoon oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of knife and minced
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons Filipino cane vinegar (or white vinegar or cider vinegar diluted with water, page 13)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper