Crispy Tokwa’t Baboy, Crispy Fried Pork with Tofu

Crispy Tokwa’t Baboy, Crispy Fried Pork with Tofu. Tokwa at baboy is synonym to lugaw and arroz caldo. Tokwa at baboy is served as a side dish for lugaw or arroz caldo. To most Pinoy Tokwa’t Baboy is made up of boiled pork face and ears plus fried tokwa or firm tofu, with vinegar, soy sauce, chopped onion and garlic dressing. OPC has been very innovative with discovering other version of this dish using other meat that goes with tokwa. Click the links below to discover some alternative for Tokwa’t Baboy.

Tokwa’t Talong 
Tokwa't Baboy, Pork and Tofu
Tokwa't Isda, Fish and Tofu
Tokwa't Baka, Beef and Tofu
Tokwa’t Manok
Tokwa’t Pinakurat 

Today I would like to share a crunchy version, Crispy Tokwa’t Baboy. I cooked this Crispy Tokwa’t Baboy as a side dish for a Beef Face and Tripe Lugaw that I have prepared which I thought would best serve at this time since it has been raining for most part of the week here in Central Queensland Australia. During this time of the year it should be very hot, we should be experiencing extreme high temperature. November and December are the peak months of summer on this part Australia. With a lot of rain lately, the weather is behaving strangely. Yesterday November 17, 2013, it even rain with ice the size of grapes, below is the video of that hailstorm.

Queensland November 17, 2013 Hailstorm

Ok let’s get back to my version of Crispy Tokwa’t Baboy, Crispy Fried Pork with Tofu. To make the dish it is similar to my other Tokwa’t Baboy recipe, the only difference is the extra cooking step of deep frying the pork till crisp similar to the Lechon Kawali. I have also added some Chinese twist to the fried pork by pre-boiling the pork, I used pork belly, with Chinese 5-Spice and some star anise. Here is the recipe of my Crispy Tokwa’t Baboy, Crispy Fried Pork with Tofu.

Ingredients:

1/2 pork belly, cut into four parts
2 large blocks, firm tofu
2 medium size onion, peeled, chopped or sliced
1 medium size onion, peeled, quartered
1/2 head whole garlic, peeled, crushed
1/2 head garlic, peeled, chopped
1 piece bay leaf
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
1-2 pcs. star anise
1-2 piece long chili, chopped
1 small bunch spring onion, trimmed, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
cooking oil
salt

Cooking Procedure:

In a big pot place the pork belly, crushed garlic, quartered onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, star anise and Chinese 5-spice powder, add generous amount of salt. Pour enough water to cover ppork and bring to a boil, simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until pork is tender. Remove from pot clean any scum and let cool, and chill in a refrigerator. In the meantime, using a big bowl mix chopped onion, chooped garlic, chopped long green chili, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and sugar keep aside until ready to serve.

In a frying pan deep fry chilled boiled pork belly until color change to a golden brown, remove from pan and drain excess oil, let cool. Cut fried pork belly into cubes or serving pieces set aside.

Now using the same pan, deep fry the tokwa until color change to golden brown, remove from pan and drain excess oil, let cool. Cut fried tokwa into cubes or serving pieces set aside.

When ready to serve toss fried pork, fried tokwa and the vinaigrette mixture in a bowl, garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve as side a dish for lugaw or arroz caldo.

Other Tofu Recipes; 

Braised Pork and Tofu with Black Fungus 
Vegetarian Menudo, Tofu Menudo 
Pork Chop and Tofu with Mushroom and Oyster Sauce 
Braised Pork Knuckles and Tofu with Black Beans 
Vegetables and Tofu with Black Bean Sauce 
Tokwa't Baboy Adobo with Oyster Sauce 
Spicy Mapo Tofu 
Mapo Tofu 
Tofu with Black Fungus and Bamboo Shoot