Among the best of Bicol is the Pinangat. It is equally satisfying as the Bicol Express and Laing. This one is made of fish or shrimp wrapped in gabi or yam leves and cooked in, of course, coconut milk.

Ingredients:

½ kg freshwater shrimp, peeled salt and pepper to taste meat of 4 coconuts, grated 2 onions, chopped 2 tbsp grated ginger 6 cloves garlic a few pieces of siling labuyo 20 to 25 fresh gabi leaves (should be intact with no holes) kitchen string to tie each pinangat 6-8 stalks of tanglad (lower white portions only), smashed 3 to 4 cups thin coconut milk Sauce/topping: 2 cups coconut cream 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 shallots, finely chopped 2 stalks tanglad (lower white stalks), smashedsalt and pepper 3 to 5 spring onions, finely chopped

Cooking Instructions:

Combine the shrimp, grated coconut, onion, ginger, garlic and siling labuyo and chop them together using a large knife or cleaver until the mixture looks like cornmeal. Wrap 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture in two (overlapping) gabi leaves and tie each with a coconut midrib or kitchen string. Line a heavy-bottom pot with the smashed tanglad and arrange the pinangat pieces on top. Pour the thin coconut milk over the pinangat. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat, shaking it once in a while to prevent burning. The pinangat is done when the gabi leaves are already soft or when all of the thin coconut milk has evaporated. While the pinangat is cooking, boil in a separate saucepan the thick coconut cream, garlic, shallots and tanglad. Season with salt and simmer until the mixture thickens. Sprinkle the spring onions on top and remove from heat. To serve, arrange the pinangat in a plate and top with the sauce.

Pork dinuguan or pork blood stew is a Filipino dish simmered in a rich mixture of vinegar, pig's blood and pork belly.

Ingredients

2 lbs. pork shoulder, cubed 1 lb. pork large intestine, cleaned thoroughly (optional) 1 to 1½ cups pig blood 2 to 3 pieces banana pepper 2 thumbs ginger, minced 1 medium yellow onion, diced 6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped 2 cups water ¾ cup cane or white vinegar 1 piece pork cube (optional) 3 tablespoons cooking oil Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a cooking pot. 2. Saute the garlic, onion, and ginger. 3. Add the intestine. Saute for 3 minutes. 4. Add the pork. Cook until light brown. 5. Pour the water in and add the pork cube. Let it boil. Simmer until the pork becomes tender. 6. Pour the vinegar in the cooking pot. Let it re-boil. 7. Add the banana peppers. Cook for 3 minutes. 8. Stir-in the pig blood and make sure to continuously stir during the first minute to avoid the blood from forming. 9. Cook in low to medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 10. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with puto. Share and enjoy!

Pork Kaldereta is a Filipino tomato based stew dish. It is composed of cubed pork ham or belly, potato, carrots, tomato sauce, liver spread and other vegetables. Beef kaldereta is the more popular version, but this dish is also as good as it.

Ingredients

2 lbs. Pork, cubed 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce ¾ cup green olives 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced 2 medium baking potatoes, cut into large cubes 2 medium carrots, sliced diagonally 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 2 teaspoons minced garlic 32 oz. beef broth ½ cup liver spread 3 tablespoons cooking oil Salt and pepper to tasteIngredients 2 lbs. Pork, cubed 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce ¾ cup green olives 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced 2 medium baking potatoes, cut into large cubes 2 medium carrots, sliced diagonally 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 2 teaspoons minced garlic 32 oz. beef broth ½ cup liver spread 3 tablespoons cooking oil Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.Heat the oil in a cooking pot. 2. Once the oil is hot, saute the garlic and onion. 3. Add the pork. Stir and cook for for 5 minutes or until the color turns light to medium brown. 4. Pour-in the tomato sauce and beef broth. Let boil. Cover and simmer for 60 minutes. 5. Add the liver spread. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. 6. Put-in the carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. 7. Add the olives and bell peppers. Cook covered for 8 minutes. 8. Add salt and pepper to taste. 9. Turn-off the heat. Transfer to a serving plate. 10. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Bicol Express is a popular Filipino dish which was popularized in the district of Malate, Manila but made in traditional Bicolano style. It is a stew made from long chilies, coconut milk, shrimp paste or stockfish, onion, pork, and garlic.

Ingredients

3 cups coconut milk 2 lbs pork belly, cut into strips ½ cup Shrimp Paste 1 tbsp Garlic, minced 6 pieces Thai chili or Serrano pepper 3 tablespoons minced ginger 1 medium onion, minced 2 tablespoons cooking oil Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a pan and then pour-in the cooking oil. 2. Sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger 3. Add the pork and then continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes or until the color becomes light brown 4. Put-in the shrimp paste and Thai chili or Serrano pepper. Stir. 5. Pour the coconut milk in. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the pork is tender 6. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste 7. Serve Hot. Enjoy!

Laing is a Filipino dish composed of dried taro leaves and coconut milk. It was first introduced in the province of Bicol. This dish has been very famous — it is popular within the Philippines and also outside of the country. Since the purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about Filipino Food and Recipes, I hope that this awesome dish will soon get the international credit that it deserves.

Ingredients 1 pack (3.5 oz or 100g) dried taro leaves 6 cups (3 cans) coconut milk 2 cups (1 can) coconut cream ½ cup shrimp paste (bagoong or balaw) ½ lb. pork shoulder, thinly sliced 5 to 7 pieces red chilies 1 medium yellow onion, sliced ½ cup sliced ginger 8 cloves garlic, crushed

Instructions

1. Combine the coconut milk, pork, shrimp paste, ginger, onion, and garlic in a cooking pot. Heat the pot and let boil. 2. Once the mixture starts to boil, gently stir to mix the ingredients. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. 3. Make sure to stir once in a while to prevent the ingredients from sticking on the bottom of the cooking pot. 4. Add the dried taro leaves. Do not stir. Let it stay until the leaves absorb the coconut milk. This takes about 20 to 30 minutes. 4. You can gently push the leaves down so that it can absorb more coconut milk. 5. Once the leaves absorb the coconut milk, stir the leaves and then continue to cook for to 10 minutes. 6. Pour the coconut cream into the cooking pot. Add the red chilies. Stir. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. 7. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Kinunot is a dish with stingray or crabs which are cooked in coconut cream, malunggay leaves, and spicy chili.

Ingredients

1 Kilo stingray (Pagi) 2-3 bundle of moringa leaves (malunggay) 3-4 Cups coconut milk 1/4 Cup vinegar 1 Onion, chopped 2 Cloves of garlic, crushed

Instructions

Blanch stingray in boiling water for 2-3 minute, or until tender and just cooked. Remove from pot drain to cool down. Flake the meat, set aside. In a saucepan, put coconut milk, garlic and onions. Boil and simmer stirring constantly to avoid the milk from curdling . Add the flaked stingray, vinegar and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Add chilli, season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes and add malunggay. Cook for another 3-6 minutes or until the liquid turns to creamy texture.

MENU