Fish sauce fried pork belly

Choose pork belly with even meat throughout; remove the skin, which would turn chewy and spatter in the oil.

Cut the pork into 1 inch strips, then cut each strip about 3/4 inch wide.

Add fish sauce, a little sugar and ground white pepper; massage a minute or two until no fish sauce pools in the bowl. Can be done one to two days ahead.

Heat about an inch of frying oil to 350F.

Mix all-purpose flour with an equal amount of cornstarch; sprinkle over the pork and toss so every piece has a light, even coating and none stick together.

Fry half the pork at a time, so as not to crowd the pot, for exactly two minutes, keeping the oil around 325 after the pork goes in.

Remove and cool to room temperature or lukewarm (a fan speeds it up); cooling keeps the inside from overcooking in the second fry. Fry the second batch meanwhile.

Heat the oil to 385 and fry again 1 1/2 to 2 minutes max, until crisp.

Drain on paper towel and wait at least two minutes before eating.

Serve as drinking food with a cold fizzy drink, or as a meal with nam jim jaew and sticky rice.