No one will be better with Bicolano’s pallet. When everybody’s looking for something sweets, Bicolano’s looking for something extra ordinary, something sizzling and spicy -Something that will spice up their day.
Apart from being widely known for abundant province, Bicol is also known for their incredible recipe. Almost the entire menu was spice up with silling labuyo, which simply calls sili [jalapeno chili pepper].
Sili
or chili pepper has been a part of human diet
in Bicol region. Chili pepper was originated from America and as the
world revolves, chilies were cultivated around the globe by Columbus, which the
name chili known in bicol as sili originated from.
Bicolanos
say that food without sili was tasteless and colorless, just as the French
would say that a meat without wine is like a day without sunshine. Not only
Filipino loves the taste of spice in bicol recipe. Some would also travel from
a distance places just to grab and taste the menu that Bicolano are proud of.
Bicol
province is not just famous of its spicy foods but also known for dishes which
was cooked in “gata” or coconut milk, province is also abundant with seafoods
and pili nuts.
Here are some mouthwatering Bicolano foods
ready to spice you up.
Pinangat is a filipino
dish which also originated in Bicol region, the land of chilies, coconut and
gabi. It is more popularly for Manilenos as Laing. Pinangat is a nice blend of
gabi leaves tied with coconut leaves and simmered in coconut cream. Pinangat
was originally concocted in the town of Camalig, Albay. Since it is second to
bicol express, many tourist who visit Legazpi City make sure that aside from
the spicy Bicol express they also get to try this dish. Pinangat are basically
prepared by the following ingredients; dried shredded taro (gabi) leaves, whole
taro (gabi) leaves, ground meat or seafood (as fillings), thick coconut milk,
lemon grass, onions, other natural taste enhancers, and most important is the
siling labuyo.
Tilmok- Another Bicolano dish that is not just widely known among locals but to foreigners as well. Tilmok is a gabi [taro] leaves cooked in coconut milk with fish or crab, salt, pepper, sili and garlic to taste. It is wraped in a banana leaves while it is steamed.
Ginataang Santol-
another vegetable cooked in “gata” [coconut milk] that Bicolano also love. It
is a santol fruit cooked in gata with shrimp paste, pork, and sili. This dish
will surely drive your perspective that a santol is not only a fruit for
dessert but also a cuisine in your main dish.
And for your dessert,
Bicol is proud to give you SILI ICECREAM.
Sili ice cream- Yes. You read it right. Bicolanos love their
spicy food and now, with desserts. In a glimpse, with its appealing pink color
you will never imagine that it is Sili icecream, you might rather say that it
strawberry flavor except for the sili garnished on top. What it taste like? At
first, it taste like an ordinary icecream but as you continue with your scoop
you will suddenly feel that kick in your tongue that‘s brought sili. If you’re
adventurous when it comes to dessert, check it out. The 1st Colonial
Grill is the first restaurant ever serves this kind of dessert.
Did I make you crave for some? Well you better
try it. I assure you that the Bicolano dishes will surely spice up your day.