There are several ways to re-purpose leftover lechon (roasted pig). Usually, however, it is made into paksiw (a vinegar-based stew), or simply fried, with or without batter.
The problem with frying lechon is that, sometimes, people overdo it. For God’s sake, that thing’s cooked enough already, and, if your lechonero is particularly good, to tender, juicy perfection — why fry it dry and tough?
Everyone knows that fried food must at least look crispy. And the way to visually communicate that factor is through color, i.e., brown (and shades thereof). The problem with frying lechon “naked” is that the meat loses its moisture by the time it looks properly fried. Unless it still has a layer of fat on it, in which case you can concentrate frying on that side to provide the crispy element. Leaner cuts do not fare as well.
Using a batter solves the problem. It can get messy, sure, but the coating keeps the lechon from drying out too much while providing that element of crispiness. Here I used beer batter — a combination of two parts flour, one part cornstarch, garlic powder (use as much or as little as you like), and a pinch of baking soda, thoroughly whisked with enough beer until mixture is just semi-liquid (not pasty). Season lechon slices with salt, finely ground black pepper, and garlic powder, dip in the batter, let excess batter drip off, and dust with corn flour. Fry in about an inch of hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Serve with atchara (in my case, pickled heart of palm).
If you want to know how and why beer batter works, I refer you (again) to this article.
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