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Original Bicol Express Recipe


The Bicol Express Recipe is the most popular spicy Filipino food recipe there is. It is best eaten as a main dish or as a “pulutan”. It can be described as a pork dish cooked in coconut milk with shrimps, vegetables, and lots of chilies. Have you ever wondered why the name Bicol Express? Well, the first and obvious reason is because this popular, spicy dish originated in the Bicol Region. There was also an old story that this famous, spicy dish was named after the express train that traveled from Manila to Bicol.

Original Bicol Express Recipes (the one that Bicolanos use) use more chilies than pork. They are really hot and spicy. So, if you think Thai food is spicy then you better think again because the Bicol Express is definitely hotter and spicier. There are some known variations of this recipe but they really don’t differ much. Its either you use more pork and lesser chilies or more chilies and less pork. I have heard of Bicol Express Recipes that use chicken meat too. Although, I haven’t personally tasted this so called Chicken Bicol Express, I would say that pork will still be my first choice.

 Here is my Bicol Express Recipe. Enjoy cooking! 
filipino-bicol-express-recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 med. Eggplant, cut in 1" slices
  • 1 med. Ampalaya, cut in 1" slices
  • 6 pieces red pepper cut in 1/2" slices
  • 6 pieces chili finger (sili)
  • 1 cup coconut milk (first extract)
  • 1 cup coconut milk (second extract)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 med. onion
  • 1/2 to 3/4 kilogram pork, sliced small
  • 1 tbsp Bagoong (alamang) or shrimp paste
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • salt
  • vetsin

Cooking Procedure:
  • Sauté the garlic, onion, pork, shrimp, and bagoong
  • Add second extract of coconut milk and bring to a boil
  • Simmer until pork is halfway cooked
  • Add the vegetables (including the peppers and chili fingers)
  • Add first extract of coconut milk and bring to a boil
  • Simmer until cooked
  • Add salt, vetsin to desired taste

Hot Tip:
  • I prefer freshly extracted coconut milk rather than processed-canned coconut milk.
  • If you want it to be super spicy-hot, add more red chilies.


Do you have your own Bicol Express Recipe? For suggestions, cooking tips, and new recipes, feel free to write it in the comments section below.
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Filipino Beef Bulalo Recipe


For all the soup lovers, this Beef Bulalo Recipe is a must! Bulalo or Beef Shank Soup can be very expensive in some classy restaurants, but if you take time to learn and follow this simple bulalo recipe I have prepared for you you'll be surprised how easy it is to prepare this original and savory Filipino dish!

Here is my beef bulalo recipe for you to follow. Try it and let me know what you think.


filipino-beef-bulalo-recipe
Photo Courtesy of Angsarap.Net
Ingredients:
  • 2 kg. bulalo/bone marrow or beef shanks
  • 1/2 kg. grated gabi (just like preparing for sinigang)
  • 1/2 kg. chinese pechay
  • 25 g. green onions
  • 10 g. garlic
  • 20 pcs. pepper corns
  • 1/4 kg. shredded labong
  • 1/2 kg. young corn-on-the-cob-cut by 1 1/2 inches
  • 8 c. water
  • salt
  • vetsin or magic sarap
  • patis/fish sauce

Cooking Procedure:
  • Bring water to a boil then add the bulalo
  • Boil once and remove scum that floats
  • Boil again, add all the above ingredients except the chinese pechay
  • After 3 minutes, lower fire to simmer
  • When bulalo is soft, add the chinese pechay
  • Add salt, patis, vetsin or magic sarap to desired taste

Hot Tip:
  • Use beef stock instead of water
  • Just add red chili peppers or black pepper for a spicy-hot bulalo


Have you tried this Bulalo Recipe yet? For suggestions, cooking tips, and new recipes, feel free to write it in the comments section below.
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My Pinakbet Recipe


My Pinakbet Recipe is something that I learned a long time ago from my Grandma. Pinakbet is a favorite, mixed vegetable Filipino dish composed of eggplant (talong), bitter melon (ampalaya), lady’s fingers (okra), sweet potato (camote), squash (kalabasa), shrimps, and shrimp paste (bagoong hipon). Some pinakbet recipes have more vegetables but these are actually the basic ones or the most common vegetable ingredients. String beans, tomatoes, patani, and cadios can also be added but its just optional.

Although pinakbet has become a very popular and favorite Filipino dish throughout the Philippines, pinakbet actually originated in the Ilocos Region, which is located in the northern part of the Philippines.

 Here is my pinakbet recipe. Enjoy!

filipino-pakbet-pinakbet-recipe

Ingredients:
  • 5 tbsp. cooking oil
  • 1 pc. big onion, sliced
  • 2 pcs. tomatoes, cut into pieces
  • 1 pc. ginger about 2 inches
  • 1/2 kg. pork, cut into cubes
  • 1/8 kg. shrimps
  • 1 c. shrimp broth/ knorr or maggi shrimp cubes
  • 1 pc. medium-sized camote, cut into quarters
  • 3 pcs. ampalaya, cut to 1 1/2" long
  • 6 pcs. eggplant, cut into quarters
  • 1 pc. medium-sized kalabasa, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 c. bagoong Ilokano/bagoong hipon
  • 3 pcs. okra, sliced into half
  • 1 tsp. salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:
  • Heat oil in a sauce pan
  • Sauté onion until translucent
  • Add tomatoes, ginger, pork, shrimps,
  • Add shrimp broth
  • Boil for a few minutes or until pork and shrimps are partially cooked
  • Add camote, kalabasa, ampalaya, okra, and eggplant
  • Season mixture with bagoong and cook until done
  • Salt to taste

Hot Tip:
  • Add coconut milk and simmer for 2-3 minutes.


Do you have Filipino vegetable recipes that you'd like to share? Feel free to write it in the comments section below.
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