Ingredients

300g jasmine rice, washed

2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

Atchara

1 green papaya, peeled, finely shredded

1 tbs salt

250ml white vinegar

200g caster sugar

1 carrot, shredded

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Pork belly

1.5-2kg piece pork belly, rind scored

60ml soy sauce

1 red onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 long red chilli, finely chopped

6 bay leaves

6 star anise

4 spring onions

2 sticks lemongrass, bruised

Sweet liver sauce

350g chicken livers

500ml milk

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

80ml white vinegar

60ml soy sauce

50g brown sugar

375ml water

30g fresh breadcrumbs

Spicy vinegar dip

125ml white vinegar

60ml calamansi juice (or 1 ½ tbs lime juice + 1 ½ tbs mandarin juice)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs caster sugar

Cebu Lechon Belly with Pandan Rice and Atchara Credit: MKR

Method

1. To make the atchara, combine the papaya and salt in a bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour. Rinse under cold water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and pat dry. Place in a bowl with the carrot and garlic. Toss to combine.
2. Heat vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Pour over vegetable mixture. Toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, for 2 hours or up to overnight to pickle.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare sweet liver sauce, place livers and milk in a bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour to soak. Drain. Transfer livers to a processor. Process to form a puree.
4. Preheat oven to 200C. Place an oven rack in an oven tray.
5. Pat pork rind dry and place pork on bench, rind-side down. Lightly score meat in a diamond pattern, being sure not to cut all the way through. Rub meat with soy sauce, red onion, garlic and chilli. Insert bay leaves and star anise randomly into cuts of pork. Arrange spring onions and lemongrass down length of pork. Roll to enclose, securing at regular intervals with butcher’s string. Wrap ends of exposed meat in foil, to keep them moist during cooking. Place on rack in tray. Generously season rind with salt.
6. Roast for 30 mins. Reduce heat to 160C. Cook for 2 hours. Increase heat to 200C. Cook for 30 mins or until rind is crisp. Set aside for 20 mins to rest. Slice.
7. To finish making liver sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic for 5 mins or until soft but not coloured. Stir in livers and remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 mins. Remove from heat. Use a stick blender to blend until smooth. Season.
8. To make the spicy vinegar dip, place all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Cool completely.
9. Cook rice according to packet instructions, adding the pandan leaves to the water during cooking. Discard pandan leaves after cooking.
10. Serve sliced pork with pandan rice, spicy vinegar dip, atchara and sweet liver sauce.

Tips

• We served our rice wrapped in banana leaves for presentation.

• If time permits, place the pork on a tray rind-side up and sprinkle generously with salt. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to dry out. Pat rind dry. This helps remove moisture for a crisp crackle.