← Nouns Cooking · Indonesian & Filipino

Ingredients

• 100 g Dried taro leaves (dahon ng gabi)
• 1 l Coconut milk
• 200 ml coconut cream
• 200 g Pork belly, cut into thin strips (optional)
• 3 tbsp shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 5 cm piece Ginger, cut into thin strips
• 5 bird's eye chillies (labuyo), chopped
• Salt

Method

1. Put the coconut milk, onion, garlic, ginger, shrimp paste and pork (if using) in a wok or wide pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 min.
2. Pile the dried taro leaves on top and press them gently into the liquid with a spoon, but do not stir.
3. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 min, still without stirring, until the leaves have soaked up the liquid and softened.
4. Now stir everything together. Add the coconut cream and chillies and cook over low heat for 15–20 min, stirring often, until the mixture is thick, almost dry and glossy with coconut oil. Taste for salt.
5. Serve warm with rice, on its own or next to grilled meat or fish.

Tips

• Taro leaves contain irritating crystals that can make your throat itch; cooking them fully, and not stirring early, avoids that.
• Swap the pork for flaked smoked fish, as Bicol cooks often do.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Panlasang Pinoy Foxy Folksy