Bicol Express
Bicol Express is one of the spiciest dishes of the Philippines. Tender pork is stewed in a rich, savory coconut sauce, making it perfect alongside a bowl of rice and fresh vegetables. This is the classic comfort food amongst Filipinos!
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb pork shoulder or belly, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- *3-5 red chilies, minced
- *1/4 cup alamang (briefly rinsed to remove excess salt) + 1 tbsp of alamang (non-rinsed)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp sugar, to taste
- 3 green chilies, chopped (serrano, jalapeno, or siling haba works)
Instructions
- 1
Cut your pork into bite-sized pieces and season with black pepper. Sear the pork in a pan over medium-high heat to develop some color and to render out some of its fat. Once the pork is seared and browned all over, set aside.
- 2
In the same pan, saute the onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger, and Thai chilies, and continue to saute until fragrant, about 2 more minutes.
- 3
Add in the seared pork, alamang, coconut milk, water, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- 4
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a medium-low and let simmer with a lid on for 45 minutes.
- 5
After 45 minutes, mix in the green chilies. You'll know the Bicol Express is done when the oils from the coconut milk and pork begin to separate slightly. Serve with rice and veggies. Enjoy!