Laing — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Dried taro leaves slow-simmered in thick coconut milk with shrimp paste, chilies, and aromatics until the leaves are silky-tender and the coconut cream is deeply concentrated.

Ingredients

300g dried taro leaves (or fresh, wilted)
400ml coconut milk
200ml coconut cream
2 tbsp shrimp paste (bagoong)
5 bird's eye chilies, sliced
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cm ginger, sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
Salt to taste

Instructions

1 If using fresh taro leaves, dry them in the sun or oven until wilted. Squeeze out excess moisture.
2 Combine coconut milk, onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass in a heavy pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3 Add dried taro leaves without stirring. Let them simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes.
4 Add shrimp paste and chilies. Continue simmering without stirring for another 15 minutes.
5 Pour coconut cream over the top and simmer 10 more minutes until sauce thickens and leaves are silky.
6 Gently fold once to combine. Season with salt. Serve with steamed rice.

Did You Know?

The golden rule of cooking laing is to never stir it while the taro leaves are cooking — stirring releases calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense itching in the throat.