Bicol Express (Filipino Pork Belly in Spicy Coconut Cream Stew)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Bicol Express takes its name from the train line that once ran between Manila and the Bicol region in southeastern Luzon, an area where coconut and chili peppers appear in quantities that would be considered excessive almost anywhere else in the Philippines.
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Thinly sliced pork belly simmers in a mixture of coconut milk and coconut cream together with fermented shrimp paste (bagoong), garlic, onion, and a generous measure of both long finger chilies and bird's eye chilies. The liquid reduces slowly over medium heat until the coconut milk splits, releasing its fat into the pan - at that point the pork begins to fry in the rendered coconut oil rather than braise in liquid, and its texture changes noticeably. The finished dish has almost no remaining sauce; a thick, creamy, oily coating clings to every piece of pork and chili. The shrimp paste operates below the surface of the sweetness provided by the coconut, laying down a deep, briny, funky foundation that defines the flavor without announcing itself. The heat from the chilies does not arrive immediately - it accumulates over successive spoonfuls. The combination of coconut, chili, and fermented shrimp reflects an ancient Bicolano flavor structure that predates the dish's catchy modern name by generations. Serving it over steamed white rice, which absorbs the rich coating as it sits on the plate, is the only way to eat it properly.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Slice 600g pork belly thinly into bite-size pieces.
Finely mince 1 onion, 5 garlic cloves, and 20g ginger, then slice 6 green chilies on the diagonal so they are ready to add near the end.
- 2Control
Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add the pork belly without extra oil.
Stir for about 5 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden and enough pork fat coats the bottom of the pot.
- 3Control
Add the minced onion, garlic, and ginger, then cook over medium heat for 3 more minutes.
When the onion turns translucent, stir in 1 tablespoon shrimp paste until its raw smell softens and the fat looks seasoned.
- 4Control
Pour in 600ml coconut milk and 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce.
Once the edges begin to bubble, reduce to low heat; keep it at a gentle simmer and scrape the bottom occasionally so the coconut does not scorch.
- 5Control
Simmer gently over low heat for about 20 minutes.
When the liquid reduces and coconut oil appears on the surface, stir for 2 more minutes so the pork starts cooking in the oily sauce rather than watery liquid.
- 6Control
Add the sliced green chilies and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Stop when the sauce clings tightly to the pork and almost no loose liquid remains, then check the saltiness and turn off the heat.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Pork fat rendered first to cook the aromatics
- Finish cue
- When the onion turns translucent, stir in 1 tablespoon shrimp paste until its raw smell softens and the fat looks seasoned.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
50min, 8 ingredients
Category median
48min, 8 ingredients
Based on 247 recipes
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