Sure you have heard so many good things about Lechon or roasted pig, but it will be your first to hear about Lechon Paksiw, right? Luckily, I’ve got the recipe to share with you.
This Christmas season, we surely have lots of food on our table. From appetizers to desserts, there will be an abundance of them.
Philippines is the country that has the longest Christmas. Starting in September of the year up to the first week of January the following year, we celebrate the yuletide season. Thus, when the “Ber” months start, we become busy preparing our Christmas Decorations, and we are even busy preparing food.
Imagine how much we spend this season. Thus, during this time of the year, Filipinos are also extra hardworking, having side jobs just to earn extra money for food, gifts and new clothes and shoes.
Therefore, we become innovative when the budget really is not enough. Just like how we find ways to make a certain last for at least a few more days. Let’s have Lechon as an example. The dish is expensive, so we don’t want to put it to waste if there’s leftover of it, so what we do is we use what’s left and make Lechon Paksiw.
What Is Lechon Paksiw?
Lechon Paksiw is made from leftover Lechon Baboy (Roasted Pig). It is cooked by simmering the leftover Roasted pig with vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf and lechon sauce. Thus, it has that sour taste and sweet flavor plus the aromatic leaf. . Completely, it has become a new dish.
Paksiw is a method of cooking which means “to simmer with vinegar”. Normally, it’s fish that is cooked this way because most probably, it’s the most affordable, but because Filipinos are innovatie, we have now the Lechon Paksiw. It’s also a way to preserve food and make it last for a longer period of time.
Lechon Paksiw Ingredients: Luzon Versus Visayas
In Luzon, the largest and the most populous island, uses leftover Lechon sarsa. While in the Visayas, one of the three major islands along with Luzon and Mindanao and that is famous for the best Lechon Baboy, they use soy sauce, which makes Lechon Paksiw a dish that is similar to Adobo.
Luzon Lechon Paksiw Ingredients
Cooking Oil
Garlic
Onion
Bay Leaf
Left-over lechon (Roast Pork)
Salt and pepper
Vinegar
Oyster Sauce
Brown sugar
Leftover Lechon sauce or sarsa
Visayan Lechon Paksiw Ingredients
Cooking Oil
Left over lechon
Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Brown Sugar
Bay leaves
Whole pepper
Although that of Luzon seems more enticing and looks more like a better modification by looking at the ingredients, People in the Visayas, pride on the most important ingredient in Lechon Paksiw, which is the Lechon itself. As mentioned above, Cebu which is the capital of the Visayas has the most renowned Lechon.
When Your Lechon Paksiw Taste a Bit Bad
Having the main gun in the form of Lechon is not enough to be safe from cook’s cooking mistakes. When it tastes bad, it tastes bad. Even if you have the best ingredients, when the process of recipe is not thoroughly followed, your Lechon Paksiw won’t be the best possible Paksiw you could have. Thus, below are some taste issues to fix.
Too sour
Although Paksiw really is vinegar based, when it’s too sour, it will just overpower the other flavors, especially Lechon paksiw. Thus, if it’s too sour, just add sweetness to it. Add more sarsa to counteract the dominant sour flavor.
Too Sweet
It happens when there’s too much sarsa you put in your Lechon Paksiw. To fix this, just add vinegar and a pinch of salt until there is enough balance of flavors.
Rubbery-like Lechon
Sometimes, pork lechon tends to be a little rubbery in texture. Thus, just remove first the Pork from the pan and deep fry them again to be crispy again.
Tips in Cooking Lechon Paksiw
- Add liver spread. Adding ground liver or liver spread adds texture to your Lechon Paksiw sauce. Also, it adds more flavor to it.
- Do not stir the mixture before comes to a boil when cooking the vinegar. Stirring may cause an unpleasant strong, sharp smell or flavor to the dish.
- Use Mang Tomas Sarsa, a bottled sarsa brand, as the substitute to Lechon sauce.
- If you want Lechon Paksiw badly but you don’t have left over Lechon in the fridge, just buy in the nearest supermarket. (this is applicable when you are in the Philippines)
Taste Lechon Paksiw in an instant
If you visit the Philippines and you happen to try Lechon paksiw, and you want to bring home lechon paksiw in your mother country for your loved ones there, but you don’t know how, buy them Lechon Paksiw in a can. Although it’s not as delicious as the Lechon Paksiw cooked at home, it might be a good starter. Just inform them that the homemade one is way better than it.
Dishes that Go Well with Your Lechon Paksiw
This is just a modification to a well loved Lechon, but this has established itself too already, but despite its reputation as a great dish, it still becomes better when pairing it with other types of food or dishes.
Steamed Rice
Steamed rice, just to reiterate, is any dish’s perfect carb. Just make sure you have fish sauce with red chilies on the side for the dip.
Garlic Fried Rice
Sure steamed rice is any viand’s partner, but garlic friend rice’s umami flavor is just perfect for you Lechon Paksiw
Pancit
Pancit maybe a good substitute to rice. It can be Pancit Bihon Guisado, Pancit Canton or even Pancit bihon and Canton (mixed).
Tuyo
This small dried salted fish has the saltiness missing in your Lechon Paksiw.
Salted Egg
Instead of the regular eggs that have bland taste, why not go for the salted one. It goes well with you sweet and sour Lechon Paksiw.
Chicharon
This crispy pork rind dish is a perfect partner to you Lechon Paksiw. Although Lechon is also Pork (crispy basically), when you dip Chicharon to your Lechon Paksiw sauce, you’ll see the difference.
Daing na Bangus
Don’t wait until you feel loathed of the Lechon you are eating. Always have Dried Milkfish on the side just to be sure you’ll have a good dining experience ending.
Binagoongan
This Pork with veggies in Shrimp paste has that perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. It is good to partner with you sweet and sour Lechon paksiw.
Spicy sautéed shrimp paste
If you think the Pork in Lechon Paksiw is enough, then instead of having binagoongan, just have sautéed Shrimp paste with red chilies on the side as a dip.
Crab and corn soup
To make your life easier, just buy a packed soup powder. Dissolve it in boiling water then stir until you achieve the right consistency. Then, add and break one egg and stir gently with fork, and that’s it. The soup is hot and savory enough that it goes well with your Lechon Paksiw flavors.
Hot Tea
After having a heavy meal or after being bloated, it’s always nice to sip a cup of hot tea.
Conclusion
Filipinos are known for their extreme cooking talent, which is one of the fruits of those kitchen magic. They are known to be flexible in the kitchen that they use anything available, still making the results out of this world. Recipes like this are one of the effects of how they value saving resources and creating something magical from scrap food.
Trying this on your kitchen is easy if you love it in an instant. We are glad that you are with us in this article to share with you all the beautiful ideas that we have for recipes like this. We hope we have helped you and enjoy your kitchen venture.
For more delicious recipe, visit Eat Like Pinoy!
Recipe
Superb Lechon Paksiw
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pork Liempo cut
- 1 medium Onion cubed
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Pepper
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 pc Bay Leaf
- ½ cup Bread Crumbs
- 2 cups Cooking Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 6 cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar
Instructions
- Put the pork belly in a casserole with 6 cups of water together with salt.
- Simmer until the meat gets tender.
- Remove the meat and set aside the boiled water.
- Heat oil in pan. Then fry the pork liempo.
- After frying, slice the meat thinly.
- Put 3 cups of pork belly broth in a casserole and add the garlic, onion, bay leaf, brown sugar, vinegar, crushed pepper, and bread crumbs. Also, add the pork belly. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Serve hot.
