Kanto-Style Pork Chop (or Fried Chicken)
This Kanto-style pork chop recipe delivers the kind of crispy, juicy, deep-fried comfort you crave after a long commute or on a silog plate at your favorite corner karinderya. Made with simple pantry staples and a secret wet batter trick using cold water, it fries up golden and loud—especially when paired with a glossy sweet chili sauce. Works for pork or chicken, and always with extra rice.
Ingredients
Marinade (for 1 kg pork or chicken)
1 kg pork chop or chicken leg/thigh
1 tablespoon fish sauce
5 tablespoons calamansi juice
1 sachet Maggi Magic Sarap
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Wet Batter
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
¼ to ⅓ cup cold water (batter should be runny)
1 teaspoon baking powder
For Frying
Oil, for deep frying
Cooking Instructions
Marinate the Meat
In a large bowl, combine pork or chicken with fish sauce, calamansi juice, Magic Sarap, and cracked black pepper. Mix well and let sit for 15 minutes.
Add the Batter
To the same bowl, add the egg, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cold water. Stir until smooth and runny, coating the meat evenly. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Fry Until Golden
Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Fry the meat in batches until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
Serve
Serve hot with sweet chili sauce on the side or poured over. Perfect with garlic rice, fried egg, or in a takeout-style silog plate.
Sweet Chili Sauce
Tangy, sweet, and just the right amount of heat—this sauce levels up any fried dish.
Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons salt
1½ cups water
1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon Maggi Magic Sarap
1 to 2 tablespoons banana ketchup (adjust depending on desired color)
Instructions
Combine All Ingredients
In a saucepan, mix all ingredients together. Stir well to dissolve sugar and cornstarch.
Simmer and Thicken
Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Stir regularly until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. Adjust banana ketchup to get your desired red hue.
Cool and Store. Let cool before serving. Store in a clean jar. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Tips and Tricks
Use cold water in the batter to keep the coating light and crisp.
Let the batter rest before frying—it helps the coating stick and improves texture.
This same batter works great for tofu, eggplant, or shrimp.
The sweet chili sauce goes well with lumpia, fried fish, or grilled barbecue.
No calamansi? Substitute with lemon juice or a vinegar-sugar mix.
For best crispness, drain fried meat on a wire rack, not paper towels.
Video Note: For on-cam demo, this recipe was doubled (2 kg meat + double sauce batch)
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