Cook Laing the Bicolano Way

Laing is a famous Bicolano traditional dish. Its basic ingredients are Taro leaves and coconut milk. Some add shrimp and pork to their Laing. There are many variations when it comes to how Laing is cooked but what I am about to list down is considered to be Laing the Bicolano way. You might have tasted Laing before if you have been to the Philippines. It tastes very good for the natives, however for foreigners it might taste quite unusual. This dish is sought after in most special gatherings in the Philippines like birthday parties, wedding receptions, family reunions and Christmas parties. It usually take an hour and a half to cook this ever-favorite Filipino dish.

Here are the ingredients for this dish:

• 1 lb. dried taro leaves, crushed
• 1/2 lb. pork, diced
• 1 cup of cream of coconut
• 4 cups of coconut milk
• 1 red onion, medium sized
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoon of ginger, minced
• 2 pieces jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup of shrimp paste
• Salt, to taste

Procedures to follow in cooking laing:

• Olive oil – The olive oil must be put into the casserole once the casserole is already hot.
• Garlic, Onion, Ginger – The garlic and the ginger must first be minced properly and the onion must be chopped accordingly. Once the olive oil is already hot you may start adding the garlic, followed by the onion and lastly the ginger and sauté all the aforementioned ingredients.
• Pork – The pork must be diced into the desired size. After sautéing the onion, garlic and ginger, you may now add the diced pork on the casserole, and then wait until the ingredients turn into golden brown colour.
• Taro leaves – The taro leaves must be crushed first before you add it to the ingredients. When crushing the taro leaves you must consider the desired consistency of the one who is going to eat the dish, you would not want to end up crushing it too much making it look like a mashed potato only green in colour right? You must crush the taro leaves appropriately leaving the right consistency and texture on it. Once you crushed the taro already you can now add it on the ingeredients.
• Shrimp paste – When putting shrimp paste on the dish you have to add just an adequate amount because shrimp paste may look like a seasoning with a very light taste but its look can be deceiving. Add an ample amount of shrimp paste to the ingredients and mix it accordingly.
• Coconut milk – You have to add first the coconut milk before the coconut cream. Add the coconut milk unto the ingredients and stir. Let the ingredient simmer until it comes into a boil.
• Jalapeno pepper – Add jalapeno pepper to the ingeredient, once it comes into a boil, according to your taste and preference.
• Coconut cream – The coconut cream adds creaminess to the taste of the Laing recipe therefore making it taste even better. Add the coconut cream after the jalapeno pepper and let the ingredients simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Season it with salt and serve your Laing hot.

Article written by Arindom Chanda. A freelance writer for Maple Forest, a well-known PPC Agency.