LECHON KAWALI

Lechón is a pork dish in several regions of the world,

 most specifically Spain and its former colonial possessions

 throughout the world. The word lechón originated from

 the Spanish term lechón; that refers to a suckling pig

that is roasted. Lechón is a popular food in the

 Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Canada, the

Dominican Republic,

. The dish features a whole roasted pig cooked

 over charcoal. Additionally, it is a national dish

 of the Philippines^[1] with Cebu being acknowledged

 by American chef, Anthony Bourdain as having the

 best pig,^[2] and also being the national dish of Puerto

 Rico.^[3] Nowadays in most of Latin America, the original

 use of a suckling pig has given way to a medium-sized

 adult pig. Various livestock or domesticated animals

 could also be used.

In most regions, lechón is prepared throughout the

 year for any special occasion, during festivals, and

 the holidays. After seasoning, the pig is cooked by

 skewering the entire animal, entrails removed, on a

 large stick and cooking it in a pit filled with charcoal.

 The pig is placed over the charcoal, and the stick or

 rod it is attached to is turned in a rotisserie action. The

 pig is roasted on all sides for several hours until done.

 The process of cooking and basting usually results in

 making the pork skin crisp and is a distinctive feature of the dish.

 Lechón kawali is pork belly deep fried in a kawali, which

 is Filipino for a wok or a deep frying pan. It is typically

 served with vinegar or soy sauce with a sprinkle of calamansi.

 To make them real tender and juicy, slow-cook the pork belly

 slab in water, deep fry and then cut them in strips.

Lechon Kawali is a pan-roasted pork dish popular in the

 Philippines. It's usually accompanied by sarsa ni mang

 tomas, a delicious gravy sauce

Lechon kawali or Pan-roasted pork to some is different

 from Lechon, the well known Filipino dish which is also

 the national dish of the Philippines. While lechon is cooked

 in a pit filled with flamed charcoal, Lechon kawali is cooked

 by boiling then later deep frying a portion of the pig (pork belly usually) .

A suckling pig (or sucking pig^[1]) is a piglet fed on its

 mother's milk (i.e., a piglet which is still a "suckling").

In culinary contexts, a suckling pig is slaughtered between

 the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked

 whole, often roasted, in various cuisines. It is usually

 prepared for special occasions and gatherings.

The meat from suckling pig is pale and tender and the

cooked skin is crisp and can be used for pork rinds. The

 texture of the meat can be somewhat gelatinous due to

 the amount of collagen in a young pig.

In most regions, lechón is prepared throughout the year

for any special occasion, during festivals, and the holidays.

 After seasoning, the piglet is cooked by skewering the

 entire animal, entrails removed, on a large stick and cooking

 it in a pit filled with charcoal. The piglet is placed over the

 charcoal, and the stick or rod it is attached to is turned in

 a rotisserie action.

Lechón Kawali Recipe
Recipe from Kulinarya: a Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lb pork belly slab

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp coarse sea salt

Enough water to cover the pork

8 cups peanut or canola oil for deep-frying

The pork belly slab should have an even distribution of meat

 and fat. Preferably, it should not be thicker than 1-1/2 inches.

Place the pork belly, crushed garlic, bay leaf and sea salt in

 a pot and fill with water until the pork is completely covered. Bring to

 a boil and reduce to simmer. Continue to cook for about one

hour or until the pork is fork-tender.

Drain the pork. The stock can be saved for future use. Place the

 pork in a baking tray and let it dry out inside the oven set at 200

 degrees F for about one hour. Let it stand to cool.

Heat the canola oil in a wok or a pan. Use enough oil to completely cover the pork slab.

Deep-fry the pork with the skin down. Turn the heat to low and

 fry slowly for 20 to 30 minutes on each side.

For more moist meat, fry the whole slab over high heat for

an additional 5 to 10 minutes with the skin side down just before serving. Fish out with a strainer and place on a platter lined with paper towels. Cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes.

For crunchier meat, cut the pork slab into 1- to 2-inch cubes and then

 deep-fry for an additional 5 to 10 minutes over high heat. Fish out with

 a strainer and place on a platter lined with paper towels.