We know we post a lot about Lechon Kawali and that is because it is such a comforting dish to have from time to time. It is a great viand to dig into with steamed white rice and it is also a great dish to have with friends on drink nights! Truly, Lechon Kawali is perfect for whenever. We even have it as is and believe us, you are going to enjoy it too, especially when you dip it with its classic dipping sauce which is seasoned soy sauce or sarsa.
Have you ever wondered where we get our Lechon Kawali from? Or maybe how long it takes us to actually make our own? Well, to tell you honestly, it just takes us a while (if we don’t count the time for when we refrigerate it) all thanks to one of the most hyped up appliances last year – the Air Fryer.
Air Fryers have been a helpful tool in the kitchen for years, but it surely had wowed Filipinos even more for the past two years as they have looked for a healthier alternative in delighting in their favorite fried yummies. From then on, Filipinos have explored the wonders an Air Fryer has to offer – and that includes us cooking one of our favorite dishes, the Lechon Kawali.
Lechon Kawali is a well-loved Filipino recipe made with pork belly slabs deep fried in either a wok or a pan. It is seasoned beforehand, fried, and then sliced into cubes that are totally munch-worthy! Sometimes it is also called Lechon de Carajay so try to not get confused if you encounter it as this. Simply put, Lechon Kawali is crispy deep-fried pork that is best served during lunch or dinner, but it could also be enjoyed whenever or however, much like as a pulutan.
This dish is actually a favorite of many because it has that oh-so-satisfying crunch in every bite, all thanks to its trademark crispy skin. That crispy skin can be achieved in two ways. One is by boiling it and then frying it and two is by deep-frying it until it is poppin’! Other than its crispy skin, Lechon Kawali is loved for its tender meat which complements the crispy skin it has. The contrast of crispy and tender is undebiably a duo that we cannot seem to resist.
However, if you are like us and you do not have that much time to spare in the kitchen, then we would like to recommend using an Air Fryer to achieve that crispy and tender shebang that is the Lechon Kawali. By using an Air Fryer, you do not only actually get to cut the cooking time, but also you get something that is less oily but still very much delicious and scrumptious which is a total plus for us.
If you are up for this, then better read or watch as to how we made our Air Fryer Lechon Kawali possible! Below is a written recipe alongside a recipe video on how you can also pull off this Air Fryer Lechon Kawali we have been gushing about.
AuthorwhattoeatphSimmer the pork belly in a pot together with garlic, bay leaves, pepper corn, salt, and water for 1 to 1.5 hours.
Take out the pork belly from the pot. Start poking holes into its skin using a fork and then completely dry it using a kitchen tissue paper.
Brush the skin with vinegar and then coat or cover it in salt. Refrigerate the pork belly overnight.
Take out the pork belly. Scrape the salt off of its skin and then dry it again by dabbing a kitchen tissue paper onto it.
Place the pork belly in the air fryer and then let it cook for 50 to 70 minutes in 200C.
Take out the pork belly from the air fryer. Let it rest for a while, slice it into cube-like pieces, and then serve it.
Chop garlic and onion into small pieces. Place them in a small bowl.
Squeeze out the juice from the calamansi into the small bowl in which the chopped garlic and onion were placed into.
Pour soy sauce into the small bowl in which the chopped garlic, onion, and calamansi are all in. Mix them altogether.
Chop garlic, onion, green chili, and red chilis into small pieces. Place them in a small bowl.
Pour vinegar into the small bowl wherein the chopped garlic, onion, green chili, and red chilis are in. Mix them altogether.
Chop onion and tomatoes into small pieces. Place them in a small bowl.
Pour soy sauce into the small bowl wherein the chopped onion and tomatoes were placed. Mix them altogether.
Ingredients
Directions
Simmer the pork belly in a pot together with garlic, bay leaves, pepper corn, salt, and water for 1 to 1.5 hours.
Take out the pork belly from the pot. Start poking holes into its skin using a fork and then completely dry it using a kitchen tissue paper.
Brush the skin with vinegar and then coat or cover it in salt. Refrigerate the pork belly overnight.
Take out the pork belly. Scrape the salt off of its skin and then dry it again by dabbing a kitchen tissue paper onto it.
Place the pork belly in the air fryer and then let it cook for 50 to 70 minutes in 200C.
Take out the pork belly from the air fryer. Let it rest for a while, slice it into cube-like pieces, and then serve it.
Chop garlic and onion into small pieces. Place them in a small bowl.
Squeeze out the juice from the calamansi into the small bowl in which the chopped garlic and onion were placed into.
Pour soy sauce into the small bowl in which the chopped garlic, onion, and calamansi are all in. Mix them altogether.
Chop garlic, onion, green chili, and red chilis into small pieces. Place them in a small bowl.
Pour vinegar into the small bowl wherein the chopped garlic, onion, green chili, and red chilis are in. Mix them altogether.
Chop onion and tomatoes into small pieces. Place them in a small bowl.
Pour soy sauce into the small bowl wherein the chopped onion and tomatoes were placed. Mix them altogether.
