Bicol Express — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A fiery Bicolano stew of long green chilies and shrimp paste simmered in thick coconut cream until reduced to a rich, spicy, creamy sauce — the spiciest dish in Filipino cuisine.

Ingredients

300g chicken thigh meat, diced small
200ml coconut cream
200ml coconut milk
3 tbsp shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)
10 long green chilies (siling haba), sliced diagonally
5 bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo), halved
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cm ginger, minced
1 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste

Instructions

1 Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Sauté garlic, onion, and ginger until fragrant.
2 Add diced chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3 Add shrimp paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring to incorporate.
4 Pour in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes.
5 Add all chilies and coconut cream. Simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces.
6 Season with salt. The sauce should be thick and clinging to the ingredients. Serve with steamed rice.

Did You Know?

Despite its name suggesting a train route, Bicol Express was actually created in Manila by a Bicolano cook named Cely Kalaw in the 1980s, inspired by the flavors of her home region.