LAING ALA DEXIE

June 6, 2015 Dexie Jane Asian Cooking, asian dishes, bicol laing, dried taro leaves, filipino dishes, how-to make laing, laing, laing recipe, pinoy laing, pinoy regional dishes, taro leaves, taro leaves recipe

For the first time in my Filipino existence I cooked Laing. I could never bring myself to cook this famous dish from the Bicol region in the Philippines because I know it wouldn’t be as good as my Uncle Jun’s wife’s Laing. Then again, she’s Bicolana so that pretty much sealed the deal. I was still really young when I tasted her Laing while living in the Philippines but I can still taste it vividly. Perfect coconut milk flavor, perfectly dried yet moist taro leaves, the pork were cooked perfectly, and the heat from the chilies were DAMN PERFECT.

I’m calling this Laing ala Dexie because first, the traditional laing recipe, as far as my googling expertise goes says, the shrimp paste is cooked into the dish. I couldn’t do that because I didn’t want the smell of shrimp paste lingering in my new house. I opted to serve it on the side instead. The second reason is that I used red pepper flakes instead of the red sili(chilies) because that’s what’s available in my neck of the woods/pantry. Third, I STIRRED. Whuuut??? but you’re not supposed to. I couldn’t help it. Nevertheless, Laing ala Dexie was delicious if I say so myself and it definitely satisfied my craving for this Filipino regional dish. It is nowhere near as good as my Tita Anden’s Laing but it helps to admit to thyself that anything I make would pale in comparison to her authentic Bicol Laing. Like the cliché goes, the truth shall set you free.

Anyhooo, here’s the recipe for Laing ala Dexie.

Laing Ala Dexie

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 pack taro leaves
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 pork steaks sliced
1 md onion
3 cloves garlic chopped
sm piece of ginger peeled and chopped
sprinkles of salt and black pepper
generous amount of red pepper flakes (the hotter the better)
1 long green chili pepper
oil for sauteing
shrimp paste (serve on the side or cooked into the dish)

Instructions

Heat up oil in a pan. Brown the pork slices. Add the garlic, onions, and ginger to sauté for a few minutes.
Add the dried taro leaves. Cover and let that wilt for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk, water, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Add the shrimp paste too if you so desire. Stir everything together. Cover the pan and simmer in medium heat until the sauce reduces. Add the long green pepper at the last minute.

*SUPPOSEDLY, you’re not to stir the whole thing but I did once I poured the coconut milk and sprinkled the seasoning. I just had to. Nothing happened to me. It did not make me itch at all. Perhaps that only applies when you’re using fresh taro as well? All I can say is, stir at your own discretion, HAH!

VOILA, Laing ala Dexie.