How to Cook The Filipino Best Pork Bicol Express Recipes

The Philippines has a lot of different delicious delicacies. That is why it’s not surprising that many people love to travel and visit this country. Besides that, most Filipinos create other unique and distinctive dishes based on their places such as regions, towns, and even their barangays, just like our star dish of the day, the Best Pork Bicol Express recipes. 

Bicol Express is one of the Filipinos fabulous creations. Given its delightful taste, it also has a creamy and nutty flavor that can boost your appetite in the second level. Besides, Bicol Express contains a spiciness flavor that makes your taste buds activated. That is why this recipe keeps you from eating more.

Moreover, this spicy Bicol express is also serving on different occasions in different places around this country, that is why many Filipinos are aware and found in this dish. Coconut milk is the primary ingredient that provides a delicious taste in this recipe’s sauce. Plus, the tanginess and flavor of the hot peppers are also the ingredients in making this dish. 

Furthermore, to learn more about this cuisine. Keep on navigating as we give you the other information that introduces these delightful recipes. Join us as we provide more of this Bicol express course and explore what kind of wonders this dish can give you. So, let us get started. 

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What Is The Spicy Best Pork Bicol Express

In this section, we would like to introduce this spicy yet delicious cuisine that many Filipinos are proud of. The primary ingredients in making this fantastic dish are pork, hot pepper, and coconut cream. It is the traditional way of cooking this cuisine. But in the past years, they put vegetables to elevate the flavor of this delicious course. They put Sigarilyas and other green beans as an extra crunch in their spicy Bicol Express cuisine. 

On the other hand, it is quite popular in Malate, Manila. Many Bicolanos introduce it and make it a business by cooking and selling it in the street. But the most important thing is, they make it originally. Yes, that is right. The Bicolanos are the original creators of the Bicol express menu. They live in Bicol, where this delightful cuisine was born.

Moreover, to make this wonderful dish, you need to use long hot peppers (Siling Haba), red hot pepper, coconut cream (Kakang gata), shrimp paste (Alamang na Bagoong), stockfish, onion, pork, ginger, and garlic. Those are the necessary ingredients in making your traditional version of this beautiful cuisine. 

Furthermore, Gulay Na May Lada is the other name of this cuisine in the Bicol Region. And at the moment, it includes one of the vegetarian variants of this menu. As time went by, variants of Bicol Express expanded. Many people use seafood, beef, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, and others. The preparation of this cuisine depends according to the meat and ingredient that you put in making it. Besides, many individuals include this course to move into food processing and commercial production to sell conveniently and store it for a longer time. 

Hence, the coconut and chili are uppermost in courses originating from the Bicol community. Both of these ingredients are aboriginal across the Bicol province. Additionally, there are 50 million coconut bearing trees in that province. That is why the Bicol Region makes it to the top to be the most prosperous region in the Philippines to contain this massive amount of coconut bearing trees. Plus, the Bicol Region also meets the highly suitable wet conditions of coconut growing zones.

To add more information to Bicol Express cuisine, keep browsing as we give more about this delightful course. Let us move forward!

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Ways To Cook This Recipe; Bicol Express

In this section, we are grateful to show you some of the methods you can use to prepare this kind of food. We provide a list of the possible ways to make it more unique and delightful. It includes the following;

Using Instant Pot

The first method in making this wonderful dish is by using an instant pot. As you know, the instant pot is one of the appliances that are easy to use. It is more convenient to have than most of the other tools in the kitchen. It has a time setting that you can charge while you are doing other chores. 

In preparing the meal in it, you need to put the meat inside to soften it in the time that you set. After tenderizing, you can add the coconut milk and add the hot pepper, and select the time to simmer it in a few minutes. Afterward, you can now serve it at your dining table.

Using Pressure Cooker

The pressure cooker is the most classic and standard pot that you have in your kitchen. Aside from that, it is the appliance that many restaurants have to cook their numerous ingredients and prepare their signature dish. This pot’s pressure is a significant factor in making your element more tender in a short period. That is why many individuals use it to prepare their meal in an instant.

Unlike the Instant Pot, this pressure cooker needs more attention when you use it. That way, you prevent it from burning or, else, overcooking. Manual time setting is how you can track the period you can provide while waiting to make your dish soften. 

Moreover, in preparing the course, after you cook and slice the pork into strips, at the same pot, saute the onion and garlic, then add the ginger. Put the shrimp paste and add the pork. Afterward, you can now put your coconut milk. Please wait until the oil releases itself, and that’s the time you can add the hot pepper and the veggies you prefer.

Using Slow Cooker

A slow cooker is a kind of pot you can use to prepare your food in a long hour of cooking. You can perform this kind of cooking if you want to make it more flavorful and tasty. In preparing this process, you can ensure that your ingredients are all tender and soft after cooking.

In preparing this cuisine using this method, make sure that you slice your meat as you want it in your course. Then set the temperature even if it is low or high. Either of these temperatures can make it more delightful. 3 to 4 hours are the maximum time frame you can set to prepare your primary ingredient in this pot. 

Afterward, you can now add coconut milk, hot pepper, and other seasonings to bring more flavor to your cuisines. After the oil that comes from the coconut releases, you can now add the vegetables you want to compliment your course’s taste. Please bring it to simmer again and wait until the veggies become soft. Then, you can serve it at your dining table.

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Variation Of Filipino Bicol Express

In this section, we come up with a list that you can consider as an option to prepare this excellent cuisine. These variations can guide you to choose the right variety that suits your taste the most. So, let us move forward to know more about these variations. It includes the following;

Seafood Bicol Express Version Recipes

It is the first version in the list that you can make in your home. This version uses seafood as an alternative primary ingredient in making these delightful recipes. You can use frozen seafood if you want. Still, fresh ones are preferable to achieve the new flavor course that you want. 

In making this preparation, first, you clean and wash the seafood carefully and adequately. Saute the onion and the garlic to start the process. Use ginger to lessen the fishy aroma and taste of your seafood ingredient. Then you can now put the seafood that you want. After a few minutes of cooking, you can directly add the coconut cream. Please wait until it releases the oil, then you can now put the hot pepper and the vegetables you want to add. Afterward, you can now serve and enjoy it while it’s hot.

Vegan Bicol Express Version Recipes

Some of the individuals are conscious when it comes to their health and body. That is why they are making alternatives for their diet menu. An excellent example of that is these vegan version recipes, aside from having an outstanding taste and flavor. Making this version can help those who don’t like it and limiting themselves to eating meat ingredients.

As an alternative, you can use mushrooms and vegetables to provide an extraordinary flavor and savory effect in your version of Bicol Express. You can use shitake mushroom in this course. It is also somehow similar to the meat’s taste. That is why you can use it to ease your cravings for some meat ingredients.

Beef Version

There are times that many individuals use beef rather than pork. That is why, in this version, they use beef to make it tastier than before. This version can give you a lot more beefy savory because it contains a lot of fat extract than the pork. 

The preparation in making this version is also similar to the original cuisine using pork. Yet, beef needs more time when you want it to be soft. If you’re going to make it tender in a short period, you can use a pressure cooker to lessen the time than the regular pot you always use. The process of cooking this version is similar to making your pork version. That is why you can prepare it anytime, without hassle.

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Troubleshooting

In the kitchen, the possibility of getting into some trouble is more likely higher, especially if you are a beginner. Still, even you are a professional. You can also come across some instances that need a more quick solution. That is why, in this section, we listed some remedies that you can perform to adjust your cooking. It includes the following;

Too bland

It is common but easiest to resolve in the kitchen. This problem occurs when you don’t put the right amount that you need in your mixture. Putting additional salt is the typical way to add saltiness to your course. You can also use liquid seasoning like a fish sauce to add more flavor and give saltiness also. Shrimp paste is also an excellent option. That way, you can adjust the taste of your delightful meal. But, ensure that you do it little by little to control the salinity correctly. If you add too much, it may cause another trouble.

Too Salty

It is the worst scenario when it comes to cooking. Too much salt can be your problem when it comes to the flavor of your courses. That is why a quick remedy needs to perform. To adjust your salty mixture’s taste, make two portions to balance your cuisine’s flavor and taste. 

The better remedy is to add other liquid ingredients such as beef broth, vegetable broth, and pork broth. But make sure that it is unsalted. That way, you can lessen your sauce’s salinity from the shrimp paste you put in it. Simmer it for about 5 to 10 minutes, and afterward, you can enjoy your delightful recipes. 

Too Spicy

The spiciness in these recipes is given and required to have. Because it is part of the flavor that you need to achieve in preparing this delicious cuisine, but, on the other hand, too much of this can bring you so much trouble. 

To lessen the spiciness flavor of your course, you can add extra cream and dairy products. These products can also provide an extraordinary savor that can boost your appetite to keep you from eating more.

Wrong cuts of ingredient

There are times that some people cut their ingredients bigger than expected. That is why you need to cut it again. The quick remedy for that is to remove all your meat in your pan. Please place it in a separate container and carefully cut it into smaller pieces. After that, put it back, and you can now serve it on your dining table.

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Trivia ( Pork, Green long pepper, and coconut milk)

In this section, we would like to share the information about the nutrients of some ingredients that this course has. To do that, we create a list that contains information about the nutrients that you can get in each of them. It includes the following;

• Pork - is one of the foods that contain many nutrients that are good for your body. In 3 ounces of pork, you can get a generous amount of potassium, riboflavin, and zinc. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, thiamin, phosphorus, niacin, and protein. From that, it has a low amount of sodium content. 
• Green long pepper - is a kind of vegetable that is good for having a generous amount of vitamins and minerals. You can get vitamin A, B6, and C. It also has iron, copper, and potassium. 
• Coconut milk - great content of carbs, fats, proteins, and micronutrients that can help you reduce inflammation, decrease stomach ulcer size, and fight viruses and bacterias.

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Tips

Extra information can give you an outstanding outcome. That is why, in this section, we provide some tips that you can use in making these delightful recipes. It includes the following;

• To cut the meat instantly, you can freeze the belly to make it firm and easy to slice.
• Cut your primary ingredient into strips or cubes to make it more appealing when you cook it. Plus, it will become easy to soften.
• Using low fire is preferable to cooking it without curds. High temperature can affect the texture and consistency of your sauce. On the other hand, you can try to simmer it to achieve a smooth surface.
• You can also use some other greens like string beans, winged beans, and other vegetables that complement this cuisine’s taste.
• To add more saltiness and flavor, you need to pour or put your seasonings to balance and achieve your course’s taste, mostly when using shrimp paste and fish sauce. Pour it little by little to control the flavor you want in your cuisine. 

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Excellent Served With

Being a creative thinker is an excellent thing to do when it comes to eating various recipes. That is why, in this section, we gathered some dishes that you can try to pair with Bicol Express. This list includes the following;

• Steamy Rice - is the most common meal that can balance most of the courses that you can prepare on your dining table. It contains a plain taste that can complement the saltiness of your preferred cuisines. That is why it can be your excellent option to consider.
• Fried Fish - is one of the fried meals that have an excellent match in this saucy menu. The dry texture of this course can incorporate the sauce of Bicol Express. That is why pairing it with this kind of food can provide an outstanding result.
• Pandesal - is a Pinoy bread that you can enjoy as your breakfast. It has a unique and plain flavor that you can pair with the spiciness taste of your Bicol Express. 
• Leche Flan - is a kind of dessert that has an excellent sweet taste that you can enjoy after or during eating your meal. The contrasting flavor of sweet and spicy taste of this dessert and our star dish can provide an extraordinary savory effect that everyone can achieve. 

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Conclusion

We have come this far. We hope that we provide the information that you need in preparing this delightful dish. The information above is what you can consider as your guidelines to know more about this cuisine. We also give you the list of the data you can use as your troubleshooting to resolve your kitchen remedies. 

Moreover, we also provide tips that you can do to improve your preparation. That way, you can create a version with an extraordinary savory effect. You can also take a look at the various dishes that you can pair with this excellent cuisine. So, grab your spatula and be ready to make your masterpiece. Enjoy eating!

For more delicious recipe, visit Eat Like Pinoy!

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