Another tasty version of lechon kawali with a cucumber vinegar sauce. But you can use any kind of dipping sauce if you want like lechon sauce or ketchup. I think this lechon kawali is not much different to the usual lechon kawali that you used to cook. I just added some lemon grass on the pot together with the spices and aromatics when boiling the pork belly slabs until tender. It does really improve the aroma and the taste when you include lemongrass in meat dishes as it helps reduce the gamy taste and odor of meat. And regarding the dipping sauce, the addition of cucumber to the vinegar make the dipping sauce appetizing because it enhances the flavor of fried and grilled meat specially the Pinoy barbecue on bamboo sticks skewers. Try it! I’m sure you are going to love it!
How to Cook Lechon Kawali with Cucumber-Vinegar Sauce
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs
Course: Pork Recipe
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: cucumber vinegar sauce, lechon kawali
Servings: 6servings
Calories: 345kcal
Author: Manny
Ingredients
1 & 1/2 kilo pork belly slab
2stalks of lemon grasstied into a knot
2Tbsp.salt
1Tbsp.whole black peppercorns
3 pcsbay leaves
4clovesgarliccrushed
fine salt for rubbing the pork
water for boiling
vinegar for brushing the skin
3 to 4cupscooking oil for deep frying
For the Vinegar-Cucumber dipping sauce:
1/2cuppalm vinegar
1piecered onionchopped
1/2cupsliced cucumber
1Tbsp.sugar
1/4tsp.salt
1/4tsp.black pepper powderoptional
Instructions
How to Cook Lechon Kawali with Cucumber-Vinegar Sauce
Wash and drain the pork belly slab. Remove hairs in the skin by using a shaving razor or sharp knife.
Fill the large pot with water just enough to cover the meat. Bring to a boil then add in lemon grass, garlic, black peppercorns, salt and bay leaves.
Put the pork belly slab into the pot and let it boil in medium heat for 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours or until the pork is tender.
Remove from pot and drain in a colander. Set aside and let it cool down.
Poke the skin with a fork and brush with vinegar then let it dry. Rub with fine salt the skin and the entire surface of the pork.
Heat cooking oil in a pot deep enough to fry the pork belly slab. Fry the pork until golden brown then remove from oil and drain in a colander. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
Then heat the oil again and re-fry the pork belly until golden brown and the skin is crispy.
Remove from oil and let it cool. Then slice the lechon kawali and serve with cucumber-vinegar dipping sauce.
To make the dipping sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Manny Montala is a webmaster and admin of this blog and one of his interest is on the area of Filipino dishes and recipes. Please visit this blog often and bookmark. Please read my about page for details. Thanks for visiting. Favorite Bible Verse: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Correction: In some of the comments below, star ratings were mistakenly included. These have now been removed for transparency. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Correction: In some of the comments below, star ratings were mistakenly included. These have now been removed for transparency. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Hi Manny! thanks for sharing this tasty version of lechon kawali! I love the cucumber sauce! Absolutely fantastic!
Hi Tony! thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts! 😁