Bicol Express
Pork belly, cut into strips, shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) and thai bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo), sliced come together in this pork β 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for pan and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Heat the cooking oil in a deep pan or wok over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and sliced onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the pork belly strips and cook, stirring, for about 5 to 7 minutes until they lose their pink colour and begin to render their fat and lightly brown.
- Stir in the shrimp paste and cook for another minute to bloom its flavour, coating the pork evenly.
- Pour in the coconut milk, bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook uncovered for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Add the sliced bird's eye chilies and long green chilies and simmer for a further 5 to 10 minutes, adjusting the amount of chili to your preferred spice level.
- Season with the sugar and black pepper, taste, and add a little more shrimp paste if you want it saltier; the pork should be fork-tender and fully cooked through.
- Serve hot over steamed white rice.
You'll use: Pan Β· Saucepan Β· Wok Β· Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk Β· Β½ cup evaporated milk + Β½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Bicol Express take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Bicol Express is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Bicol Express.jpg by Raymund Macaalay, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.