Some believe that Bicol Express, a creamy, fiery pork stew, has its origins in a Bicolano vegetable dish called gulay na lada (vegetable with chili peppers). Legend has it, however, that the birthplace of Bicol Express is actually Manila, and that it is named after the train that plies the tracks between the nation’s capital and the Bicol region. The recipe below is a vegan version of Francis’s mom’s original spicy pork belly Bicol Express. He’s made some changes by using healthier ingredients, and langka (jackfruit — a widely grown fruit in the Philippines and a widely used meat substitute worldwide) instead of pork. He says the flavor of this dish takes him straight back to childhood!
PREPARATION TIME: 50 minutes
YIELD: 6 servings
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow or white onion, diced small
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium vegetable stock
3 cups (720 ml) light coconut milk
2 20-oz (600 g) cans young jackfruit, rinsed, drained and cut into cubes
2 lbs (900 g) kabocha squash, chopped into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster/stir-fry sauce or 4 tablespoons coconut aminos
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lb (500 g) green beans, cut about an inch long
10 Thai bird chilies, sliced on the bias (reduce if you don’t want the dish very spicy)
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped, for garnish
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers
2. Add the garlic and onion, stirring. When the onion is transparent, pour in the vegetable stock and coconut milk. Stir. Leave to boil uncovered for about a minute. Lower the heat to medium.
3. Add the jackfruit. Stir then cover. Leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the squash, stir-fry sauce or coconut aminos, and pepper.
5. Simmer uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half, stirring once in a while.
6. Stir in the green beans and the chili. Turn the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes, or until the beans are the desired texture.
7. Garnish with the green onion and serve with half a cup of cooked rice per serving.
PER SERVING WITH RICE
CALORIES 420KCAL
FATS 21.17G
SATURATED FAT 5.37G
PROTEIN 9.45G
CARBOHYDRATES 51.34G
FIBER 6.63G
SODIUM 524MG
SUGARS 10.86G
*Reprinted with permission from WE COOK FILIPINO by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri, Tuttle Publishing, 2023, ISBN: 978-0-8048-5466-5.
*Photo © Rezel Kealoha