Crispy Pata and CP Nights..

Friends are a dime a dozen. They are the ones that always have my back. They are also the ones that encourage me to do things that I enjoy, like this blog.

As friends we like to share things with each other. A few years back I decided to have the girls over for a mini Filipino feast. This was my chance to share with them what I love about Filipino Cuisine.

One of the dishes that I ordered was Crispy Pata or CP. Crispy Pata is a well known dish in the Philippines. It is a piece of pork leg that has been boiled and then deep fried. The skin becomes very crunchy and the meat is sticky and tasty.




I didn’t think that a piece of pork leg could bring my friends and I closer. We would get together for CP Night at my house. Anna and Helena would fight over bones and we would chit chat about each others lives and when the next CP night would be.

When Helena and Anna left for Amsterdam our CP nights stopped. This was a dish I shared with them and to tell you the truth it just didn’t taste the same without them. Although I didn’t get to share CP Night with Anna when she was in Sydney. I will hopefully have the chance to share it with Helena. Food and Friendship are a match made in heaven. It brings people together and gives you a reminder of them even if they are on the other side of the world.

Below is a recipe that I found for Crispy Pata. (Make sure you try it)

Crispy Pata

Ingredients

1 pork leg
2 cups water
sea salt or fish sauce
1 tablespoon peppercorns

5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
Oil for frying

Method

1. Clean pork leg. Cut a few small slits into the skin but not all the way to the bone.

2. Place pork into a big pot. Add the water just enough to cover, salt or fish sauce, peppercorns, soy sauce, crushed garlic and bay leaves.
3. Covered and boil over high heat. Reduce the heat after bowling and remove all the foam on top.

4. The meat should be slow cooked for about an hour until just tender but not falling off the bone.

5. Drain the pork when done and let all the juices settle.
6. Deep-fry CP until golden brown.

Crispy Pata is normally served with a dipping sauce made from vinegar, onions, chilli, salt, pepper and a touch of sugar.