Baked Lechon

When C got his job offer to Qatar one of the question was is pork sold there? Nope it's not. And when we all move to Dubai that question pop up once again. Yes it is available in selected stores here. 

I think one food/dish that's included on the list of things we miss back home is Lechon (Suckling Pig). Did you know that the Philippines is #1 on Anthony Bourdain's Hierarchy of Pork List? Imagine our hunger after watching the shows feature of our home country at 11pm. That led me to prepare our very own version of lechon away from home.

Pork belly is boiled with different spices and then baked for 3 hours to achieve that crunch that sends us back home. Little V easily proclaims this crunchy as his favorite! I can put him on the table with a cup of steamed rice, Mang Tomas Lechon sauce and the crunchy pork skin happily praising me "this is yummy mommy. V's favorite."

To prepare bake lechon: boil pork belly with 2 laurel leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp of whole black pepper, 3 star anise, 1 whole red onion, 1 head garlic, and about 3 tbsp of salt for 30 minutes to an hour. Marinate the meat on the boiled water overnight. While you preheat oven (top and bottom heat) at 220C remove belly from water and let dry for 20 minutes. Bake for an hour or two till skin is golden brown.