Crispy Pork in Peanut Sauce

Lechon Kawali na Kare Kare

Kare Kare is usually cooked with oxtail, I wanted to jazz it’s up a little and see what other meat I can use for this dish. Lechon kawali is twice cooked pork belly, it’s first boiled then fried to crisp. It’s a mash up of two Filipino dishes.

This dish known to be a truly Filipino dish, there are many version of this dish but the most popular one is with oxtail.

Traditionally you can use crashed peanuts but for me I use whole earth smooth peanut butter (not sponsored) as I find it easier and quicker. This particular brand is great as it doesn’t have any sugar. Of course if you have a preferred brand go ahead and use that.

Annato powder or achuete is used in many Filipino dishes. I first mixed some water and annatto powder but if you’re using annato oil. Heat about 100ml cooking oil and 50g-80g annato seeds. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Bagoong na Alamang (slated tiny shrimp) is an important condiment for this dish. It really complements the dish. When I served kare kare at my residency popup in Sun and Thirteen Canton pub in Soho. Some of the diners didn’t eat their Kare kare with alamang even though they were advised by my waiter, they later on commented that there isn’t enough flavours to the dish. Although the dish has some salt in it the salted shrimp gives it some depth in flavours.