Lechon Kawali

• 2 pounds boneless pork belly, 1 1/2 inches thick, cut into 3-inch-long slabs (see Tip)
• 1 large red or yellow onion, quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)

• 1/2 cup sugarcane vinegar, or white wine, apple cider or rice vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 Thai or small hot chiles, chopped

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

Black pepper, to taste

Soy sauce (optional)

Fish sauce (optional)

1. Cook the pork: Place the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns and soy sauce in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the pork by about 2 inches. Partially cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high. Reduce to medium and cook at a lively simmer until the skin is fork tender, about 45 minutes. If desired, drain the broth and reserve to use as stock.
2. Dry the pork: Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan (you can line the sheet pan with parchment or aluminum foil for easier cleanup); place the pork on top. Pat the pork with paper towels. Grab a handful of wooden skewers, and evenly puncture the skin. (Alternatively, you can score the skin every 1/4 inch.) Season both sides generously with salt. Place in the oven until the skin is completely dry, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Prepare the vinegar sauce: In a small bowl, add the vinegar, garlic, chiles, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, to taste, and soy and fish sauces, if using. Stir until the salt is dissolved.
4. Fry the pork: Fill a deep wok or Dutch oven with about 1 1/2 inches of oil, and heat to 370 degrees over medium-high. Using tongs, place one slab, skin side down, in the hot oil. Stand back just in case there’s excess moisture trapped in the pork; it might splatter. Fry until the pork is golden brown and the skin is crisp and bubbled, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature. Carefully flip the pork and fry the meat side, continuously ladling oil over the skin, until it takes on a little color without drying out, 1 to 2 minutes. The skin should be crispy and the meat should be tender and juicy.
5. Remove the lechon kawali and return it to the wire rack to cool slightly. Repeat with the remaining pork slabs. Once cool enough to handle, chop the fried pork into bite-size pieces. Serve immediately with the vinegar sauce for dipping, and a side of rice, if you like.

Choose a pork belly slab with a balanced ratio of fat to meat. If the pork belly is too fatty, the thinner layer of meat will become too dry as it takes longer for the skin to crisp.