Lechon Bicol Express

I had some leftover oven lechon and I didn't want to make the usual paksiw, so I made "Bicol Express." Furthermore, a fellow blogger posted his Pork Strips in Spicy Coconut Milk recipe on his blog which also served as my inspiration for this dish.

This is not really the traditional Bicol Express, as the real one would have twice as much chili peppers and other local ingredients. Instead it is a milder Americanized version. It reminds me of the Bicol Express that I used to order at Max's Restaurant, but theirs is just so insanely good because of the crunchy pork skin.

Hubby loved the mild spice and savory taste of the pork with the subtle sweetness of the coconut milk. Oh, and did I mention I made this from leftover lechon?


What you need:

• 1 lb. oven-cooked lechon
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced
• 1 thumb-sized ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 2 finger chilis, sliced diagonally
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 stalks of green onions, sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoon Canola oil

What to do:

Cut the cooked lechon into bite-size pieces. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the garlic, Vidalia onion, ginger, chili peppers and green onion. Saute for about a minute, then add the lechon. Season with salt and continue cooking for about 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour in the coconut cream and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with hot rice. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. If you want more heat, add more chili peppers!
2. For less heat, remove the seeds of the chili pepper and soak the peppers in salted water for about 10 minutes.
3. You can experiment and use other kinds of chili peppers. Just remember - the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is!
4. Add cilantro leaves for a deeper flavor. Just toss it in along with the green onion.