My Not So Authentic Bicol Express

I am from  the land of the Oragons (The oldies consider this word vulgar.  So, I never use it at home.)  I am a Bicolana, Nagueña specifically.  I transferred to Metro Manila in 2010 and until now, I am still not used to big city living.   If I only had a choice, I would want to live in Naga for the rest of my life. I would want to raise Baby C  there.  Without being regionalistic, I believe Naga City is such a great place to live in.  It’s a place where you can find “balance”.   It’s still not polluted.   You  can still find trees and  vast agricultural land.  The traffic is not that heavy.  The cost of living is not that high. Case in point, pedicab fare  there is only P5.   Naga City is also not “so probinsya”.  May SM kaya doon. Lol.   Hotels and banks are everywhere.  And if you’re a party spirited animal, I assure you that  boredom will never set in.  And yes, the food is just soooo good.   Oh well, taste  is relative.  However, if you dig spicy food or any food with gata, you’ll definitely concur.   It is in Bicol where Bicol Express came from (as what the name of the dish suggests lol).  Honestly, I was a bit surprised when I found out that Bicol Express is considered as a main dish here in Manila.  In Bicol, it’s only a side dish or pampagana.   Bicol Express Manila Style looks different too. 

  So, how would you know if the Bicol Express is authentic? 

1.        It’s HOT!  FREAKING HOT.  If it’s not sooooo  hot and spicy, it’s not Bicol Express.

2.       It doesn’t have a sauce.  The only liquid you should see is  the oil rendered by the gata and pork fat. 

3.       It has more chillies and shrimp paste than pork. Karne ang sahog, not the other way around. 

Last night, I tried to cook this famous dish. I wanted it to be our ulam, not just a pampagana, so, I added more pork.  Here’s the recipe.

½ kilo pork, menudo cut

2 cups uncooked  bagoong alamang (washed and drained)

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

Ginger, julienned

15 pieces siling pansigang, sliced

5 siling labuyo, sliced

1 coconut (coconut milk and coconut cream)

Patis, as needed

Sugar

Instructions:

1.       Saute the garlic and ginger until fragrant.  Then add the onion until translucent.

2.       Add the pork. Cook until the pork turns light.

3.       Add the bagoong. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

4.       Pour in the coconut milk (second extract).  Let it simmer until it evaporates and the dish  becomes a little bit dry.

5.       Pour  in the coconut cream (1^st extract or kakang gata) and bring it to a boil.  Let it simmer.  Put fish sauce, if necessary. 

6.       Add the chillies (both siling haba and siling labuyo).

7.       Put a dash of sugar.

8.       Let it simmer until the gata renders coconut oil.  

9.       Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!