Crispy Pata is a Filipino dish that features deep-fried pork leg, resulting in a flavorful and crispy skin with tender meat. Here's a simple recipe for Crispy Pata:
Ingredients:
1 whole pork leg (front or hind leg), cleaned
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt
Water for boiling
Cooking oil for deep frying
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
In a large pot, place the pork leg and add enough water to cover it. Add garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt.
Bring the water to a boil, then simmer until the pork leg is tender. This may take about 1.5 to 2 hours. You can use a pressure cooker to speed up the process.
Once the pork leg is tender, remove it from the pot and let it cool. You can also place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to dry the skin, which helps in achieving a crispier texture.
Heat enough cooking oil in a deep fryer or large pot for deep frying. Make sure the oil is hot (around 350-375°F or 175-190°C).
Carefully lower the pork leg into the hot oil using a kitchen spider or tongs. Deep fry until the skin is golden brown and crispy. This may take about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the crispy pata from the oil and let it drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce: soy sauce, vinegar, chopped onion, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Serve the crispy pata on a platter and enjoy it with the dipping sauce.
Note: Be cautious when deep-frying to avoid accidents. It's essential to dry the pork leg thoroughly before frying to achieve a crispy skin. Adjust the seasoning of the dipping sauce according to your taste preference.