Crunchy Chicharon Bulaklak is a Filipino appetizer or pulutan made from ruffled fat. A popular dish that is deep-fried until golden brown and served with spiced vinegar that so delicious!

Chicharon bulaklak is a dish we have been craving for some time now. It’s been years since we had a chance to taste it, but guess who got lucky? I chance upon a couple kilos of pork mesentery in the butcher shop and just couldn’t pass on the opportunity.

As much as we love this like lechon kawali, which is also deep-fried meat dish, do consume in moderation. Balancing our love of food with exercise is something to keep in mind.

Which pork part is chicharon bulaklak?

It is pork mesentery or actually a tissue that connects the pork intestines to it’s abdominal wall. It’s also called ruffled fat due to its ruffled edges and overall appearance.

It can be a bit challenging to find chicharon bulaklak if you live abroad. Best chance is try at the frozen section of Asian stores near you or ask your friendly butcher if they can source out some for you.

How to clean ruffled fat

To my great relief and appreciation, the ruffled fat was already cleaned when I bought them. But here are some extra steps that you can do in this chicharon bulaklak recipe.

Rinse the ruffled fat in running water to wash away dried blood if any.
Rub rock salt and vinegar onto the ruffled fat to remove grime and slimy film sticking on it.
Rinse again in running water to wash away the salt and grime.
Cut in serving or manageable sizes and now it’s ready for cooking.

Ways to deep fry

There are several ways to cook this pork crackling or ruffled fat chicharon dish.

Deep Fryer – Probably the easiest method, pre-heat cooking oil in the deep fryer in medium heat. When oil is hot enough slowly tip in the ruffled fat then deep fry until crisp and medium brown. Remove from fryer and transfer in a plate lined with paper kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
Deep cooking pot – Choose a pot large enough that can fit in the ruffled fat without the oil spilling.
Deep Frying pan – Use a high-walled frying pan that will at least submerge the ruffle fat halfway in the hot oil.

How to make the spicy vinegar dipping sauce?

To fully enjoy this chicharon recipe, an amazing dipping sauce of spicy vinegar is needed. The following dipping sauce ingredients are what you need. Mix everything in a small bowl until incorporated.

Vinegar – 1 cup of cane vinegar, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar is enough. The type of viegar really depends on your preference.
Onion – 1 or 2 yellow or red medium onions, depending on what is available will work great.
Garlic – I used 3-4 clove garlic but the more the better to counter some of the cholesterol from the deep fried dish.
Whole peppercorns – or you can also use ground black pepper.
Bird’s eye chili – or also known in the Philippines as siling labuyo. 2-3 pcs., sliced, will do the trick.
Salt and sugar – measure according to your preference. You can skip the sugar if you want.

How to serve and store

Serve chicharon bulaklak in a serving dish as pulutan for beer or any alcoholic drinks with a side of spicy vinegar.
Serve while still warm from cooking because this is where they are most crispy.
Store left overs if any in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Tips for an amiable experience

Cook batches of chicharon bulaklak that you know you’ll be able to finish. It loses crispiness once cold.
Boil the pork mesenteries first with seasoning to let flavors to seep in and to make it tender.
Air dry and cool down then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight for a more crispy chicharon.
Cool boiled pork mesenteries in a cooling rack to drain the liquid and avoid oil splatter when fried.
Cook ruffled fat in batches to avoid over crowding pot and for uniform and even cooking.