The way I see it, if you have a piece of pork belly lying around, the only option you have is to cook it and to eat it. More often than not, the pork belly I cook is turned into some variation on the Sunday roast - hearty, filling and warming.
But there are people in the world who take this fatty, rich cut of meat and give it the summertime treatment, a la pork belly salad. I've seen it done with green papaya and green mango. This is my "you can't buy a green mango in the Southern Highlands" version using the last of the ripe summer fruit. Green herby leaves and a sweet, sour dressing make you feel virtuous and true. Crunchy crackling and sumptuous meat bring you right back down to earth, sighing smugly as you go.
You can find my full recipe here.
