Golden Watermelon and Pork Belly Salad

Ingredients

For the Pork Belly

3 lb - raw pork belly, skin on
2 Cups - agave nectar
6 TBSP - soy sauce
2 TBSP fermented fish sauce
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
flour to dust the pork belly
oil for frying

For the Pickled Watermelon

3 lb - yellow watermelon
1 1/2 Cup - rice wine vinegar
1 - serrano chile sliced thinly
1 oz - fresh lime juice
1 oz - freshly peeled ginger, freshly grated
1 TBSP - brown sugar
1 tsp - kosher salt

For the Dressing

1/4 Cup - brown sugar
3 Cups - canola oil
1 Cup - rice wine vinegar
1/2 Cup - fresh lime juice
4 oz - peeled ginger, freshly grated
1 bunch - cilantro
4 cloves - garlic
kosher salt to taste

To Assemble 1 Salad

12 cubes - watermelon
dressing to coat
6 cubes - pickled rind
1 TBSP - silvered scallions
6 pieces - fried pork belly
10 - basil leaves
10 - cilantro leaves
furikake

Instructions

For the Pork Belly

1. Whisk together the agave nectar, soy sauce, fermented fish sauce and lime juice.
2. Cross hatch slice through the skin of the pork belly about 1" apart.
3. Place the pork belly in a stainless steel or non-corrosive bowl and cover with the marinade for 24-48 hours turning frequently.
4. Place the pork belly in a half 200 pan with 2 cups the marinade and enough water to come half way up the pork belly. Cover and cook at 275 degrees for 3-4 hours until the pork belly is tender and a skewer can penetrate with very little resisitence.
5. Remove the pork from the liquid, cool and cut into 1" cubes.
6. Lightly dust the pork cubes with flour and deep fry a few minutes until they are carmelized and crunchy. Do not burn!
7. Place on paper towels and sprinkle with salt if needed.

For the Pickled Watermelon

1. Cut watermelon into 1" cubes - remove seeds and refrigerate. Reserve the rind.
2. Carefully remove the green skin from the rind and cut the rind into 1/2" cubes.
3. Bring all ingredients for the pickling liquid to a simmer and strain over the watermelon rinds.
4. Refrigerate the marinade for at least 1 hour to up to 2 days.

For the Dressing

1. In a blender, puree the brown sugar, ginger, cilantro and garlic with the canola oil.
2. In a slow, steady stream with motor running add the vinegar and lime juice
3. Adjust with salt.

To Assemble 1 Salad

1. Toss the watermelon in enough dressing to coat.
2. Toss in the pickled rind.
3. Arrange in a shallow bowl or plate.
4. Intersperse with the fried pork belly.
5. Decoratively place basil and cilantro leaves.
6. Drizzle with a little extra dressing.
7. Sprinkle with furikake.