Bicol Express
A spicy pork stew whose exact origin is genuinely disputed — it's most often credited to restaurateur Cely Kalaw, who reportedly invented it in Manila and named it after the Bicol Express train line because both the dish and the ride were 'fiery,' though many Bicolanos maintain a similar dish already existed regionally. Either way, its flavor is authentically Bicolano, built on coconut milk and fermented shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) — omitting the bagoong is a common simplification that loses the dish's signature umami depth.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Shellfish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 800g pork belly, cubed
- 2 cups coconut milk (thin)
- 1 cup coconut cream (thick)
- 3 tbsp bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste)
- 6-8 siling labuyo or green/red chiles, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- Oil
Steps
- Sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger in oil.
- Add the pork belly and brown on all sides.
- Stir in the bagoong alamang.
- Pour in the thin coconut milk and simmer until the pork is tender.
- Add the chiles and thick coconut cream, and simmer until the sauce thickens and the oil separates slightly.