Bicol Express–despite its name being specific to the Bicol region–is popular almost everywhere here in the Philippines. It is a common dish you’ll find from the local karinderya to some fancy restaurants. And with this, everyone has their own variation of the dish usually adjusted to their own liking.
That’s why this dish is something you can make if you want to make your loved ones feel special! Of course, we can help you along the way as you can follow our recipe of the legendary Bicol express!
What is Bicol Express?
Bicol Express is basically a type of pork stew which is specifically made to be creamy and spicy at the same time. This creaminess and spiciness is achieved by adding coconut milk (gata), shrimp paste (bagoong alamang), and lots of chilies to the stew.
It is made for the people who want a pork stew which is spicy, but also want to balance it out with mild sweetness. And this is the result of that. With the right combination, it is definitely something Filipinos are hardly able to resist.
Everyone would automatically think that Bicol express originated in Bicol. Which is not a hard thing to believe, since Bicolanos also have similar dishes like this and people there commonly love to eat spicy food.
But you will still wonder why it is called Bicol express? There are documentations–although not confirmed–that the dish actually came from Manila, in the district of Malate. And from there, the one who invented the dish named it Bicol express after hearing the train on its tracks going to Bicol.
But despite all that, this dish is one which people from the Bicol region would be proud of.
Variations of Bicol Express
Bicol express is most commonly cooked with pork as its main ingredient. In this one, we use pork belly. But there are a lot of variations you can do with the dish in case you prefer something a little different.
You can use other parts of the pork if you want to. One common variation is the use of seafood instead of pork. This dish makes use of shrimp, squid, or even mussels. Chicken can also be used as a substitute for pork if you want to have a less fatty option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pork
Although there is no specific cut of pork used in Bicol express, I do suggest that you use pork belly. The amount of fat content in the pork belly will greatly enhance the flavor of this dish.
Shrimp Paste
Bagoong alamang is the ingredient preferred in this recipe for its availability but you can use the actual salted shrimp since it provides more flavor to the dish. Make sure to do a taste test before adding this to your cooking pot.
If you find it too salty, you can wash it with water to reduce the salt content. You can also use bottled ones in case that is more accessible to you.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk (gata) and coconut cream (kakang gata) which you can get in cans is acceptable for this dish. but if you have the time, you can also make your own coconut milk and coconut cream if you want more control to the creaminess of the Bicol express.
We have an article that includes everything you know about these two here: Gata Vs Kakang Gata
Chili
Chilies used here are the common ones, such as siling haba and siling labuyo. Remember that you can always control the spiciness of the dish depending on how you want it to be. And you can always use other types of chili if you want something milder or something spicier.
If you are unable to find siling labuyo, look for Thai Chili or Bird’s Eye Chili.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like garlic, onion, black pepper, and cooking oil. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Cooking Pan (Kawali)- Bicol express is a one-pan dish and we will be using a regular Filipino kawali in the whole cooking process. A substitute to kawali would be any deep cooking pan or a shallow cooking pot or casserole.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How To Cook Bicol Express
Cooking Bicol Express seems intimidating, but it is actually easy to prepare. It will only take about an average of one hour to prepare the whole thing and you’ll only need to cook in one cooking pot for the duration of it.
It is pretty simple and straightforward! All you have to do is add in your ingredients one-by-one in the cooking pot. In this recipe, we add in the pork early in the process for its flavor to rise for this dish.
Cooking Tips
- When cooking with coconut milk, remember to always cook with low heat, just enough for a gentle simmer. Cooking with high heat will make the coconut milk curdle.
- Rendering the pork fat will enhance the overall taste of the dish. It will take a little longer to wait for this but your patience will be worth it.
How To Serve Bicol Express
Bicol express is best served warm during lunch or dinner. It is a main course and is usually served with freshly cooked white rice. You can serve this with another vegetable dish and a cool drink like soda or iced tea.
Additional tip: To quickly recover from the spiciness of this dish, I suggest you have it paired with a dairy-based drink like milk tea or yogurt.
How To Store and Reheat Bicol Express
Coconut milk-based dishes tend to spoil fast. In case you have leftovers, transfer to a clean food container with lid. You can refrigerate this to extend the shelf life to 3 to 7 days. You have the option to freeze this and extend the shelf life for months but the quality may not be the same after.
To reheat (thaw first when frozen), you can either use a microwave oven or over a stove. Apply low-medium heat when reheating over a stove.
Other Bicolano Recipes
- Special Laing Recipe
- Kinunot Na Pagi (Flaked Stingray in Coconut Cream) Recipe
- Binutong (Bicolano Rice Cake) Recipe
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Authentic Bicol Express Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Pan (Kawali)
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork belly, cut into small slices
- 1 to 2 tbsp fresh bagoong alamang (shrimp paste), see notes on ingredients above
- 2 cups coconut milk (gata), see notes on ingredients above
- 1 cup coconut cream (kakang gata), see notes on ingredients above
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pc small-sized onion, chopped
- 3-6 pcs siling haba (green/ finger chilis), thinly sliced
- 4-8 pcs siling labuyo (bird’s eye/ Thai chili), thinly sliced
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Pour the cooking oil in a cooking pot and apply medium heat.
- When the oil is hot enough, add-in the garlic and onion and saute.
- When limp and aromatic, add-in the pork meat slices.
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until light brown.
- Add-in the bagoong alamang. Make sure to do a taste test before adding this. If it is too salty for you, try washing with water to reduce the saltiness.
- Pour in the coconut milk. Make sure all the meat is covered with coconut milk. If not, add more coconut milk or water.
- Bring to a boil and cover the pot. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the meat is tender.
- Remove the cover and let the remaining coconut milk evaporate.
- Pour in the coconut cream, add-in the chilis (siling haba and siling labuyo) and the black pepper.
- Continue to simmer, uncovered, while stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the meat begins to render fat.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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