Inihaw na Liempo is the famous Filipino grilled pork belly, usually served with white rice and/or Sawsawan (a dipping sauce, typically made with calamansi, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili).
The pork belly is marinated in a mixture similar to an adobo, consisting of soy sauce, calamansi, banana ketchup, sugar, and garlic.
Inihaw na Liempo can also traditionally be served with:
– Ensaladang talong (grilled eggplant salad with tomatoes and onion).
– Atchara (pickled sweet and sour fermented carrots and green papaya).
– Sometimes tomates con bagoong (tomatoes with fermented fish sauce).
– Pandan water or San Miguel beer as typical drinks.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Grill
- Cuisine: Filipino
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 5 oz soy sauce
- 1 calamansi (or lemon)
- 2 tbsp banana ketchup
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 6 cloves garlic (crushed)
- to taste salt and pepper
- 3.3 lbs fresh pork belly (sliced in 0.6 inch thick pieces)
Steps
In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, calamansi juice, banana ketchup, brown sugar, crushed garlic, black pepper, and salt until you get a smooth mixture.
Add the pork belly slices to the marinade, ensuring they are well covered.
Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the meat to absorb the flavors.
Prepare the grill for medium-high heat cooking. If possible, use a charcoal grill for an authentic smoky flavor.
Remove the meat from the marinade, reserving the marinade for basting.
Grill the pork belly slices for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until they are well cooked and slightly charred on the edges.
During cooking, brush the meat with the reserved marinade to keep it juicy and enhance the flavor.
Cut the grilled meat into serving pieces.
Serve with steamed white rice and a dipping sauce such as sawsawan (a mix of soy sauce, vinegar, and chili) or toyomansi (soy sauce with calamansi juice).
FAQ
What is calamansi?
Calamansi or Philippine Lime (Citrus microcarpa), also known as Kalamansi, or Golden Lime is a very vigorous variety producing high quantities of fruits.
Filipinos season fish and meat dishes with this fruit. It is essentially used just like a Lemon.How many types of soy sauce are there?
Koikuchi, Japanese dark soy sauce, ideal for seasoning tofu, stir-fried vegetables, and sushi.
Usukuchi lighter and denser sauce with a sweetish note due to the addition of mirin. Perfect for marinating fish dishes or adding to rice.
Tamari is the type of soy sauce similar to traditional Chinese, has an intense flavor and is excellent for adding flavors to fish-based pasta dishes or for dipping sushi.
Pure bean, is the label on Chinese light soy sauce, also known as fresh sauce, used to enhance flavors during cooking.
Finally, the Indonesian variant, particularly sweet, due to the addition of palm sugar and star anise, used for stir-frying noodles.
