Bicol express is another famous dish to us, Filipinos. It's known for its strong rich flavors, that being hot, spicy and creamy. Bicol express is called as such because the dish will leave you smoking red with chili spice on your very first bite.
Want to know how to cook bicol express? Read on!
A dish is more appreciated in the Bicol Region, the place where Bicol express originated, when it is oozing in ardent flavors. There are of course, techniques to avoid the supreme spice of the bicol express. In fact, that's how I made my not-so-spicy bicol express. It's just as filled with the spicy chili; but not as spicy as you would think.
Bicol express is pork cooked in shrimp paste, coconut milk and a lot of chili. Those long green chili peppers are "the" vegetable part of this spicy dish. Don't let the green chili intimidate you, though. Without their seeds, they don't have much spicy powers to boast for.
Let's start cooking bicol express.
Ingredients in cooking bicol express:
- pork butt, cut in cubes
- bird's eye chili, cut diagonally
- shrimp paste
- coconut milk
- garlic, crushed and chopped
- onions, cut
- cooking oil
- fish sauce
- water
Steps in cooking bicol express:
1. Saute' the garlic in a hot pan with oil.
2. Cook the pork together with the garlic. Mix well.
3. Season the pork with fish sauce as it cooks.
4. When the pork is cooked, season the dish with shrimp paste.
6. Let it simmer under low heat.
7. Add coconut milk.
8. Let the dish simmer under low heat.
9. Add the onions and the chili peppers. Mix well.
10. Avoid the chili to be over-cooked by stirring the dish continuously.
11. Adjust the flavors of the dish with fish sauce.
12. Serve while hot.
In summary:
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 15-35 minutes
Ingredients
You can adjust the taste of your dish according to your preference. The trick is to add the ingredients a little portion (e.g. shrimp paste, coconut milk, etc.) at each time.
I hope you enjoyed this one. Check out my other Pork Recipes, too. Remember me when you cook!
Want to know how to cook bicol express? Read on!
A dish is more appreciated in the Bicol Region, the place where Bicol express originated, when it is oozing in ardent flavors. There are of course, techniques to avoid the supreme spice of the bicol express. In fact, that's how I made my not-so-spicy bicol express. It's just as filled with the spicy chili; but not as spicy as you would think.
Bicol express is pork cooked in shrimp paste, coconut milk and a lot of chili. Those long green chili peppers are "the" vegetable part of this spicy dish. Don't let the green chili intimidate you, though. Without their seeds, they don't have much spicy powers to boast for.
Let's start cooking bicol express.
Ingredients in cooking bicol express:
- pork butt, cut in cubes
Pork loin is the healthier choice of pork cut; however for this dish, I used pork butt to get more taste from pork fats.- long green chili, cut diagonally
- bird's eye chili, cut diagonally
If you only want mild spice, remove the seeds from half of the chili you're using. Otherwise, leave them in tact for a very hot dish.
- shrimp paste
- coconut milk
- garlic, crushed and chopped
- onions, cut
- cooking oil
- fish sauce
- water
Steps in cooking bicol express:
1. Saute' the garlic in a hot pan with oil.
2. Cook the pork together with the garlic. Mix well.
3. Season the pork with fish sauce as it cooks.
4. When the pork is cooked, season the dish with shrimp paste.
You want to put a lot to give a distinct salty flavor to the pork.5. Add water.
6. Let it simmer under low heat.
7. Add coconut milk.
8. Let the dish simmer under low heat.
9. Add the onions and the chili peppers. Mix well.
10. Avoid the chili to be over-cooked by stirring the dish continuously.
11. Adjust the flavors of the dish with fish sauce.
12. Serve while hot.
In summary:
Bicol Express (Filipino Cooking)
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 15-35 minutes
Ingredients
- Pork butt
- Long green chili
- Bird's eye chili
- Shrimp paste
- Coconut milk
- Garlic
- Onions
- Cooking oil
- Fish sauce
- Water
- Saute' the garlic.
- Fry the pork with the garlic.
- Season the pork with fish sauce.
- When the pork cooks, season the dish with shrimp paste.
- Add water. Let the dish simmer.
- Add coconut milk. Allow the dish to simmer a bit more.
- Add onions and green chili. Mix well.
- Adjust flavors with fish sauce.
- Serve while hot.
You can adjust the taste of your dish according to your preference. The trick is to add the ingredients a little portion (e.g. shrimp paste, coconut milk, etc.) at each time.
I hope you enjoyed this one. Check out my other Pork Recipes, too. Remember me when you cook!
