Bicol Express Recipe

The outcome of this Bicol Express Recipe can be described as pork cooked in coconut milk with shrimp paste and chilies. No wonder the name of this dish was derived from a Philippine region (Bicol) wherein Coconuts are abundant and the use of chilies is emphasized in most local meals
Looking for a recipe to prepare on a rainy night? Bring on the heat with this Bicol Express! It's a delicious gata recipe with coconut cream, chilies, vegetables, and pork that can change the way you love spicy food.

What makes the Bicol Express recipe spicy?

Those from Bicol love the siling labuyo, or bird's eye chili, and it's apparent in their regional cuisine. It's used often. If you love heat, you will have your taste buds tested with this hotter-than-hot recipe because the amount of chilies is significant. You will have to make sure to serve it with heaping cups of white rice, but we're also sure you will love very bite.

Origin of Bicol Express

There are stories saying that Bicol express was conceptualized and first cooked by Ms. Cely Kalaw in her Manila restaurant sometime during the late 60’s to the early 70’s. Based on an article written by Angela De Leon entitled Soul Train: The Unlikely Beginnings Of A Beloved Filipino Dish (published in Chile Pepper Magazine last October 2006), Ms. Kalaw toned down the heat on her Taro dish (this could be “Laing”) after receiving complains from some customers. However, she knew that other customers wanted the Taro dish to be hot and spicy so she invented another amazingly spicy hot dish that would best compliment the Taro. Thus, Bicol Express was born.

But how was she able to come up with the name? As per Angela’s article, the taro incident and new spicy dish invention happened in just one day. Apparently, Ms. Kalaw finished cooking the new dish but still cannot think of any name for it. As lunch time drew nearer, she was getting anxious because the customers will soon flock-in and she has yet to name her newest masterpiece. At that moment, she heard the daily train to Bicol ramble by the window. It was the light bulb moment that she was waiting for.

The information in the article about the origin of Bicol Express might be true, or not. There are many claims that the original Bicol Express Recipe came from the Bicol region. We all know that Bicolano dishes are delicious and pretty looking so there is a big possibility that this dish really originated from the Bicol region. What do you think?

As far as I am concerned, I believe that this is truly an authentic Bicolano dish. It has been that popular to the point that different variations were created. Seafood Bicol Express is a good example of this.

Try this Bicol Express Recipe and let me know what you think.