Lechon Kawali (Pan-Roasted Pork)

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Okay, this is what you would consider as guilty pleasure. Equally bad as eating a bag of pork skin rinds soaked in a vinegar dip. Lechon means roasted in the Filipino language. Kawali on the other hand means wok or a deep frying pan. Put together, it means roasted pig cooked in a frying pan. These are usually sold almost everywhere back home. They fry the pork in a deep pot just like the ones used to deep fry turkey during thanksgiving. There is a reason for that and it has to do with safety. Frying pork pieces in a hot oil almost always results to the oil splattering a whole lot. So if you plan to cook this, be prepared and take the necessary precautions. The pork used for this dish requires that the skin and fat is intact and as they cook in the oil, they expel the moisture out to create this crunchy texture which is what you want but is also the reason why it splatters a lot. 

Lechon Kawali

2 lb pork with fat and skin 
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic
water
3 cups canola oil for frying

1. Over medium heat, boil the pork with enough water to cover it. 
    Season with about a tablespoon of salt and a good amount of 
    black pepper. Add the bay leaves and garlic and bring to a boil. 

2. Simmer the pork for about 30-40 minutes until tender. Cool. 

3. Remove the pork pieces and pat dry with a paper towel. Season 
    with more salt, about a tablespoon. 

4. In a deep fryer, heat the oil to medium low and fry the pork 
    pieces until browned and the skin is crunchy. Sprinkle with more 
    salt once you fish them out of the oil. Chop into smaller pieces 
    and serve immediately. 

This is usually served with a liver sauce but a good substitute is vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper and a hot Thai chili if you can take the heat.