Slow-Baked Bicol Express Casserole

Equipment: Oven, Weighing Scale

Ingredients

• Pork belly or pork kasim, cut into bite-sized cubes — 600g (600 grams)
• Coconut milk (gata) — 400g (1.5 cups)
• Coconut cream (kakang gata) — 100g (0.4 cup)
• Bagoong alamang (sauteed shrimp paste) — 45g (3 tablespoons)
• Garlic, finely minced — 20g (5 cloves)
• Onion, chopped — 100g (1 medium)
• Fresh ginger, minced — 15g (1 thumb-sized piece)
• Siling haba (green finger chilies), sliced — 30g (4 pieces)
• Siling labuyo (red bird’s eye chilies), finely chopped — 5g (2 pieces) [optional]
• Cooking oil — 15g (1 tablespoon)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. In a deep oven-safe baking casserole dish, combine the pork cubes, cooking oil, minced garlic, chopped onion, minced ginger, and bagoong alamang until well mixed.
3. Pour the coconut milk over the mixture and scatter half of the green finger chilies and red bird’s eye chilies into the dish.
4. Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil to retain moisture during low-temperature cooking.
5. Bake covered at 175°C for 45 minutes until the pork becomes tender in the simmering coconut liquid.
6. Carefully remove the foil, pour the rich coconut cream over the top, and add the remaining chilies.
7. Return the uncovered dish to the oven at 185°C for an additional 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the pork edges to lightly brown.
8. Remove from the oven, gently stir to combine the reduced coconut sauce, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serving

Serve warm alongside hot steamed white rice or brown rice.

Storage

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 160°C or on a stove until heated through.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated — not lab-verified.

Allergens

Crustaceans (shrimp paste) (inferred from ingredients)

This recipe was low-heat adapted to stay within the 185°C equipment limit.