a continuation…

April 1, Day 5 of COVID Quarantine Lock Down…

Movie: The Joker – A DC Comic movie again not made for the younger audience not so much because of sex scenes or violence, but more because of the story it self. No flying super heroes or bat mobiles in this film. It tells the story of a failed comedian Arthur, who is bullied and taken for granted by everyone around him. Bruised, beaten and abused he sees the sickness in our society. This pushes him to transform himself into the criminal mastermind we came to know as THE JOKER. “Is it me or is it getting crazier out there?”…

Today is April Fools, I woke up dreaming, wishing, hoping that someone would message or call to say that all this was just a big prank. Then I flick my phone and after seeing all the corona memes and TikTOk shit I realised nope it’s not a prank. Shit is actually getting crazier out there. The government and other responsible individuals are trying to flatten the curve but you still get cunts out there who just don’t give a fuck. I saw pictures of people crowding beaches in Victoria and New South Wales, wtf people!

Ranting over… Time to cook. I had some left over fatty pork from when I made the longganisa the other day. I have all the spices and herbs and aromatics in the pantry. Now what will i make, what will i make… think think think… I open my facebook to see what others are doing then a friend of mine posted she was making LAING.

Laing is a taro and coconut dish that comes from the Bicol Region of the Philippines. Like every other regional dish in the Philippines there are a lot of versions of this this, some make it with shrimps others with just pork and some with both.

So as mentioned earlier I have the pork, I have the aromatics and I have the coconut cream. What I don’t have is the taro and the taro leaves. Since I’m determined to really make this dish as I am now craving for it. I will try to substitute it with what ever greens i have here. I have Chinese broccoli which would give that hard stemmy texture. I have fresh spinach which will create that taro leafy effect. And i also have baby bok choy which will just bulk it all up. Then I will use baby chat potatoes that I will dice up instead of the taro.

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Lying About Laing

2 bunches Chinese Broccoli (wash and cut including stems)

2 bunches Baby Bok Choy (wash and cut including stems)

2 bunches Spinach (wash and cut including stems)

300 gms Pork Belly Fat

200 gms Pork Shoulder Trimmings

1/4 cup (60mls) oil

1 large Onion (sliced)

5 cloves Garlic (chopped fine)

1 small Ginger (fine julienne)

1 tsp (3gms) Dried Chili Flakes

2 pcs Long Green Chillis

8 pcs Baby Chat Potatoes (diced)

1 Cup (240mls) Veggie Stock

2 Cups (480mls) Coconut Cream (i used the tined ones)

1/4 cup (240mls) Patis (fish sauce)

Salt and Pepper to taste

STEP 1 – Wash and cut all green veggies separate stems and leaves then set aside until ready to cook.

STEP 2 – Heat up oil in a medium size pot then saute onions, ginger and garlic for five minutes or until lightly browned. Add pork and pork fat and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.

STEP 3 – Add potatoes, chilis flakes and chilies and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.

STEP 4 – Add Green leaves first not the stems. Saute then add the patis and veggie stock. simmer for 10 minutes then add the coconut cream and the stems. Continue to stir and simmer for another 15 minutes then season with salt and pepper accordingly.

*Wow to be honest it came out really good. If I ate it while I was blind folded I wouldn’t have known the difference. I served it with steamed rice and Danggit (fried dried fish) on the side. Craving satisfied!!!

Happy Cooking and always remember to cook with your heart…