Crispy Liempo Sinigang Rice

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Bring the 3 cups broth water to a boil in a cooking pot. Add the sliced pork belly (1½ lb), cover and maintain a gentle boil over low to medium heat for 30 minutes. Top up with extra water as needed to keep the pork covered.

   Boil pork belly · 30 minUses 3 cups water, for pork broth · 1½ lb pork belly, sliced · Extra water, for broth top-ups or rice-cooker liquid level as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: Stir in the 22 g original Knorr Sinigang sa Sampaloc mix. Cover and continue gently boiling for about 15 minutes, until the pork is tender and reaches at least 145°F (63°C). Lift the pork out, leave it at least 3 minutes, and let it cool briefly until it can be handled. Keep the actual broth separately for the rice.

   Finish pork in sinigang broth · 15 minUses Partially boiled pork and actual broth · 22 g Knorr Sinigang sa Sampaloc, original mix

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash the 1½ cups uncooked rice in rinsing water and drain it. Put it in the rice cooker. Strain the actual reserved sinigang broth through a sieve and add enough to reach the cooker’s recommended liquid level for this amount of rice; if needed, make up the level with extra water. Stir in the separate 1 tsp fish sauce and cook until the rice cooker finishes and the rice is tender. Keep any unused broth aside.

   Uses 1½ cups uncooked rice · Water, for rinsing rice; drain before cooking · Strained actual broth to the recommended rice-cooker level · Extra water, for broth top-ups or rice-cooker liquid level as needed · 1 tsp fish sauce, for cooking rice

4. 4

   Step 4: While the rice cooks, put the cooked pork in a resealable bag or covered dish and add the 3 tbsp pork-marinade fish sauce. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

   Season cooked pork · 15 minUses Tender cooked pork belly · 3 tbsp fish sauce, for pork marinade

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the ¾ cup pork-frying oil in a pan. Dredge the seasoned pork with cornstarch from the ½ cup supply, shaking off loose excess. Fry both sides until golden brown and crisp; drain on paper towel.

   Uses Fish-sauce-seasoned cooked pork · Cornstarch actually adhering from the ½ cup dredging supply · ¾ cup cooking oil, for pork frying

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat the separate 3 tbsp rice oil in a pan. Add the diced onion (1) and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

   Stir-fry onion · 1 minUses 3 tbsp cooking oil, for rice stir-frying · 1 onion, diced

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the chopped long green beans (8) and continue stir-frying for 1½ minutes.

   Stir-fry long beans · 2 minUses Onion and actual rice-frying oil · 8 long green beans, chopped

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the sliced long green pepper (1) and the actual cooked sinigang rice. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, breaking up clumps and heating the rice through. Season with the ½ tsp paprika and ground black pepper to taste, then set aside for assembly.

   Stir-fry sinigang rice · 2 minUses Sautéed onion and long beans · 1 long green pepper, sliced · Cooked sinigang rice · ½ tsp paprika · Ground black pepper, to taste

9. 9

   Step 9: Heat the separate 2 cups tempura oil to 360°F (182°C). In a bowl, mix the egg yolk (1) with the 1 cup cold batter water. Add the ¼ cup ice cubes, then the 1 cup batter cake flour. Holding four chopsticks together, mix with a stabbing motion for only 30–35 seconds, leaving the batter lumpy.

   Uses 2 cups cooking oil, for tempura frying · 1 egg yolk · 1 cup cold water, for batter · ¼ cup ice cubes · 1 cup cake flour, for batter

10. 10

    Step 10: Lightly dredge the tomato (1) slices, okra (6) and eggplant slices in the extra dry cake flour. Dip them in the cold batter, let loose excess drip off, and fry in small batches in the 360°F (182°C) oil for about 2–3 minutes on the first side, until the batter starts to crisp.

    Tempura, first side · 3 minUses 1 tomato, sliced · 6 okra · 1 Chinese eggplant, sliced · Extra cake flour actually adhering to the vegetables · Actual coating drawn from the prepared batter · Hot tempura frying oil

11. 11

    Step 11: Turn the tomato, okra and eggplant tempura and fry for about 2–3 minutes on the second side, until crisp and cooked through. Drain the finished tempura. Keep the remaining batter and hot oil for the spinach.

    Tempura, second side · 3 minUses Tomato, okra and eggplant tempura, first side fried

12. 12

    Step 12: Dredge the spinach (1½ cups) lightly in the extra dry cake flour and dip in the actual remaining cold batter. Fry the spinach in the same 360°F (182°C) tempura oil for no more than 1 minute per batch, until crisp; drain promptly.

    Spinach tempura, maximum · 1 minUses 1½ cups spinach · Extra dry cake flour actually adhering to spinach · Actual remaining batter coating for spinach · Actual hot tempura oil remaining after other vegetables

13. 13

    Step 13: Divide the stir-fried sinigang rice between 4 plates. Top with the crispy pork belly and serve the tomato, okra, eggplant and spinach tempura alongside.

    Uses Finished sinigang fried rice · Crispy pork belly · Tomato, okra and eggplant tempura · Spinach tempura