Bicol Express

Tender pork shoulder braised in rich coconut milk with long green chilies and shrimp paste — the spicy, creamy Bicolano classic.

Estimated cost: ₱138–₱160

Prep 10 min · Total 40 min · Serves 1

Nutrition per serving: 719 kcal · 45 g protein · 11 g carbs · 56 g fat

Ingredients

• 150g Pork shoulder (kasim)
• 100ml Coconut milk
• 50g Siling haba (long green chili)
• 1 tbsp Bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
• 1 tbsp Cooking oil
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 small Onion
• 3 pcs Siling labuyo (bird's eye chili)
• to taste Salt

Steps

1. Slice pork shoulder into 1½-inch cubes. Slice siling haba diagonally into 1-inch pieces and roughly chop siling labuyo.
2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until golden, then add sliced onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
3. Add pork cubes in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to brown, then stir and brown for another 3 minutes.
4. Add bagoong alamang and stir to coat the pork evenly. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens and smells toasty.
5. Pour in coconut milk. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is fork-tender and sauce reduces by half.
6. Add siling haba and siling labuyo. Stir and cook for 5 more minutes until the chilies soften slightly but retain some crunch.
7. Taste and adjust salt. The sauce should be thick, creamy, and clinging to the pork. Serve hot.

Prices are estimates based on Department of Agriculture price monitoring. Nutrition is estimated from ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central, FNRI).