Sisig Kra Pao

Sisig Pork

• 500g pork maskara (face) + ears
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 small onion, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• Salt, to taste

Aromatics

• 1 head garlic, minced
• 4 to 6 Thai red chilies (or espada chili), minced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 to 2 green espada chilies, sliced (for mixing into the sisig)

Kra Pao Sauce

• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp thin/light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp muscovado sugar (or brown sugar)

For Assembly

• 1 handful Thai or holy basil leaves
• Steamed jasmine rice
• Fried egg (optional but recommended)

Directions

• Boil the pork: In a pot, combine the pork maskara and ears with water, beef cube, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until tender.
• Grill and chop: Once cooked, pat the pork dry and grill until charred. Chop into small sisig-style pieces.
• Make the Kra Pao paste: In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound the garlic and Thai red chilies into a rough paste.
• Saute the base: In a hot pan with a bit of oil, saute the Kra Pao paste for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the chopped pork, diced red onion, and sliced green chilies. Toss well to combine.
• Add the sauce: Pour in the fish sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and muscovado sugar. Stir-fry over high heat until the sauce caramelizes and coats the pork.
• Finish with basil: Toss in the Thai basil and stir just until wilted. Turn off the heat immediately to preserve the aroma.
• Assemble: Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice with a fried egg on top if desired.

A Filipino-Thai fusion of sisig and pad kra pao. From Arion Marin on Instagram.