Tara Monsod's Sisig. Credit: Kimberly Motos
Ingredients
FOR THE PORK BELLY
Pork belly: 900 g (skin on)
Shaoxing cooking wine: 45 ml
Chinese five-spice powder: 2 g
Ground black pepper: 1 g
Coarse sea salt: 60 ml
FOR THE SISIG SAUCE
Distilled viegar: 240 ml
Calamansi juice or lemon juice: 60 ml
Garlic: 30 ml (minced)
Shallots: 15 ml (minced)
Fish sauce (Red Boat or Three Crabs): 30 ml
Fresno chile: 30 ml (small dice)
Jalapeño chile: 30 ml (small dice)
TO ASSEMBLE
Neutral oil (grapeseed or canola): 15 ml
Roasted pork belly: 480 ml (diced)
Fine salt and ground black pepper: to taste
White or yellow onion: 60 ml (small dice)
Red onion: 60 ml (small dice)
Sisig sauce: 80 ml
Extra large egg: 1
Scallions: 60 ml (sliced)
Calamansi wedges: for serving
Chef Tara Monsod (ANIMAE; Le Coq, San Diego) streamlines sisig with roast-then-broil pork belly, a bright calamansi-laced sauce, and a runny egg you mix in at the table.
How to make Sisig
01.
Cure and Marinate
- Clean the pork belly and lay it skin-side down on a large plate.
- Pour the Shaoxing wine over the meat and spread to coat.
- Rub evenly with the coarse sea salt, then rub in the five-spice and black pepper over the meat side.
- Flip skin-side up, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 6–8 hours.
02.
Roast
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Unwrap the pork and set it skin-side up on a rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Using a metal skewer or the tip of a sharp knife, puncture the skin and fat all over with small holes.
- Roast 75–90 minutes, until the meat is tender.
03.
Broil and Rest
- Set the oven to broil (high).
- Broil 15–20 minutes, until the skin is blistered and crisp.
- Transfer to a board and rest 20 minutes.
- Dice into 6 mm (¼-inch) bite-size pieces.
04.
Make the Sisig Sauce
- While the pork roasts, whisk together the vinegar, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, Fresno chile, and jalapeño in a bowl.
- Set aside.
05.
Sizzle and Serve
- Place a sizzle platter or small cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil, then the diced pork belly; season lightly with salt and pepper and brown.
- Add the white/yellow onion and red onion; sauté 1–2 minutes.
- Pour in 80 ml sisig sauce and toss to coat.
- Create a shallow well in the center and crack in the egg; cook just until the white sets and the yolk is still runny (it will continue cooking off heat).
- Remove from heat, top with scallions, and serve sizzling with calamansi or lemon on the side.
- Mix the egg through at the table.
- Serve with rice.
