“Laing” (Dried Taro Leaves in Coconut Cream)

For 2 weeks now, I still have cravings for vegetables. This time, I want it with coconut cream. I have a pack of dried taro leaves in my pantry for quite awhile now. A pasalubong from Bicol by my friend, Tin-tin. What’s so good about it, it’s an authentic dried taro leaves! No other extender and stalks. It’s aromatic and has a sweet-tangy taste along with the sauce-like coconut cream…. Yummy!

Good for 6 persons.

You’ll need:

• 450 grams pork belly, cut into 2”x ¼” cubes
• 1 tbsp of rock salt
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• A thumb sized ginger
• 2 tbsps fish paste (bagoong isda)
• ½ pack -45 grams of dried authentic taro leaves
• 6 pcs finger chilis, cut diagonally
• 2 pcs chili pepper, minced
• Coconut cream (kakang-gata):
• 2 pcs (800 g) coconut, grated
• 1 cup warm water
• Coconut milk (pangalawang gata):
• Coconut used in extracting coconut cream
• 3-2/3 cups warm water

Here’s how:

1. Foremost, extract the coconut cream. Then, follow the coconut milk. Set aside separately.


2. In a bowl, combine the first-two ingredients. Mix well. Set aside. Meanwhile, pound together the garlic and ginger with a mortar and pestle until finely crushed.


3. In a pan, over high fire, put the cooking oil. Add marinated pork. Lightly fry both sides of pork. Remove from pan.


4. Back to the pan, reduce fire to medium-high, sauté the garlic and ginger until golden brown. Pour the fish paste. Saute until oil sizzles. Add the coconut milk and dried taro leaves. Stir lightly. Let it cook over low fire until all liquid evaporates or taro leaves are soft.


5. Put the coconut cream, chillies and fried pork. Mix lightly. Simmer in low fire until desired thickness of coconut cream.


6. Best serve with cooked rice.