The route that inspired the dish: Origin of Bicol Express

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MANILA, Philippines — To set things right, it was actually a Manila-based culinary expert and restaurateur, Cely Kalaw, a native of Laguna, who invented the dish and named it Bicol Express.

A genius in the kitchen as she worked with locally available ingredients, Kalaw created the spicy pork stew with loads of chilies in her restaurant in Malate, Manila. While thinking of a name to call it, she heard the sound of a Philippine National Railways (PNR) train passing by and had a lightbulb moment.

Back then, which was the 1970s, PNR had a popular route that took passengers from Manila to Legazpi, Albay (in the Bicol region) and back to Manila, and it was referred to as the Bicol Express. Finding an analogy between the train ride and the dish she had invented, as both were fiery and intense, Kalaw decided to call her dish Bicol Express.

It was invented in Manila by a Laguna native, but Bicol Express is heavily influenced by Bicolano ingredients and flavors so much so that Bicolanos immediately embraced it as their own.

Besides, prior to the “birth” of Bicol Express, the Bicol region had a similar dish known as Gulay na May Lada or what seasoned chef Myke "Tatung" Sarthou refers to as Ginataang Sili or Sinilihan in his latest cookbook titled "Pinas Simpol," where he included the recipe of his take on the Bicol Express. His version has more meat and is slightly cooked down so regular Filipinos (and foreigners) won’t find it too spicy.

Bicol Express

Ingredients:

Set A:

2 tbsps. oil

1 pc. onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsps. bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)

500 grams pork belly, sliced

2 cups coconut milk

Set B:

6-8 pcs. long green chilies, sliced

2-3 pcs. bird’s eye chilies (siling labuyo), chopped

1 cup coconut cream

1-2 tbsps. sugar (optional)

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat oil. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and bagoong. Add pork and coconut milk. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender.

2. Stir in coconut cream and chilies.

3. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thick.

4. Adjust seasoning.

*Yield: 4 to 5 servings

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